Unravel Me
by lostinmysticfalls
Summary: Caroline's been played before and she's not about to let it happen again. But how long can she really resist her handsome boss, Nik Mikaelson? And is he just like the rest or is he what she's been looking for? A story about new beginnings, dreams, romance and the obstacles that need to be overcome in order to obtain happiness. Klaroline. AU/AH. M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at AU/AH and first person POV. Please go gentle on me guys! :) This is completely different from the last chapter fic I wrote but I hope you guys stick with it. I promise it gets better ;)**

**All chapters are from Caroline's POV, unless otherwise noted :)**

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**Chapter 1: It Happened for a Reason**

* * *

I can still hear them. It's a mixture of a dream-like state and an out-of-body experience. It's kind of like submerging yourself under water and hearing muffled voices above the surface. The worst thing is even then, I can still hear her disgusting noises and his vomit-inducing words, enveloped by the creaking sound of the bed. _Our bed_. I shiver.

If I hadn't been there, I probably wouldn't have believed it. Tyler looked at me, ghost-pale-faced and tried to explain, but how much can you explain when there's a naked girl sitting on top of you? I screamed something at him about not wanting to see his face ever again and I ran out of the house, not before slipping off the diamond ring from my finger and throwing it at him. That night I went to sleep with tears in my eyes but it was the only night I shed I tear over his betrayal. What I'm feeling now is mostly anger but at this point I don't know if it's towards him or myself.

I wrinkle my nose in disgust as I drag all my belongings back to my room. My mother was more than happy to take me back, after she released all her rage over that cheating asshole who's now my ex-fiancée. Come to think of it, he's now my ex-everything because there's no way in hell we'll ever even be friends again.

I slip into a warm pair or flannel pajama pants and throw on a tank top. The weather outside has slowly been changing and it feels a lot more like autumn, nowadays. It's only 9 p.m. but I feel drained. A nice cup of warm milk with honey and I'll be sleeping like a baby.

* * *

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" My mom asks as she stirs a cup of chamomile tea on the kitchen counter.

I shrug. It's not that I feel fine, but I'm not really feeling as bad as I thought I would. "I'm okay, mom. Trust me, it's not the end of the world."

"You were going to get married." She simply states, looking at me like I'm some sort of outer space creature for not being wrapped in a blanket, drenched in tears and devouring a whole bucket of ice cream.

She probably thinks I'm in denial, shock even. I stare at her in silence, leaning up against the doorframe. For a minute, I'm truly puzzled. Tyler and I had been engaged for almost nine months. Why don't I feel like my life has been ruined to the point of no repair?

"It's hard to explain, mom." I make my way to the fridge. "I know it's only been a few days but-" I hesitate, pouring milk into a mug and placing it in the microwave. "I'm not sad or depressed. But at the same time I do feel betrayed and disappointed."

"You didn't love him." It's not a question, it's a clear statement.

Her words hit me like a bucket of cold water. I didn't want to think of it that way. Not really loving him meant I wasted the last four years of my life with someone who didn't deserve me. And I couldn't bare think of myself as a failure.

The cup of milk is hot when I take it out of the microwave and I immediately stir in a tablespoon of honey, breathing in the aroma as I watch it swirl around, slowly disappearing into the liquid. My mother's words are still echoing in my head like a cymbal, burrowing into my brain.

"I think marrying him would've been the biggest mistake of my life." I reply, and that statement alone makes me feel as light as a feather. "Maybe this was a good thing."

* * *

"California?" My mom screeches, making an almost inhuman sound. Our poor neighbors must have definitely heard that one.

I take a seat on my bed and close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable lecture. I don't have to wait long, she starts listing off the reasons for me not to go. I look at her with a hint of melancholy. I'm 23-years old but to her I'll never grow up. After she's done telling me about the evils of Los Angeles, _what an irony_, I proceed to explain my decision.

"You know I've always dreamt of bigger things. Imagine all the good that will come from this move." I smile at her, trying to charm her into seeing things my way. "Happiness isn't going to find me in this small town. I need to go searching for it."

She stares at me suspiciously, perfectly aware of what I'm doing. "Don't make any rash decisions, honey. Don't run away from your problems."

There it is. She thinks I'm running away from Tyler. Well, in a way I am, but not because I'm a heartbroken mess. I view it more as an act of liberation. Now that I have freedom again, I want to spread my wings and fly, fly away as far as possible and start anew.

"I'm doing this for me, mom. I have a chance to start fresh. It just so happens that I chose California to do it in." I glance at her with twinkly eyes, and hold her hand. "I promise I'll come visit you often. And you can come visit me! Who knows, maybe I'll even land a theatre gig." I grin.

"Oh, Caroline." She takes in a deep breath and looks around the room, admiring all my things. "Where will you live? With what money?" She asks worried.

"I have a nice little cushion to fall back on. I started saving up as soon as Tyler and I started talking about marriage." I purse my lips. "It's enough to get me there and pay for at least three months of rent, plus food, etc." My eyes look up at her, waiting for a reply.

"Ok. You can give it a try. But if you don't like it, you come right back." She replies with a huff. I don't give her enough time to react before my arms are tied around her neck and I'm practically singing and showering her with thank yous.

I plan everything meticulously to the point of giving myself a headache. I narrow down the best areas to live in; unfortunately they are also the most expensive. Perhaps, choosing a city with a high volume of tourism wasn't the best idea, at this point the money I have saved up will only be enough to pay for two months of rent. This, after I limit myself to eating only once a day. My mouth twists in disapproval.

The Craigslist postings are endless, pages and pages of rooms for rent all stare at me until the words and prices start melting into each other. The prices are outrageous, even for apartments that look like they're falling apart. I reach page 77, about to close my laptop and give up for the night, when a post catches my eye.

_Looking for a Roomie! Great Location, awesome view! :)_

_I'm looking for a female roommate. Sorry guys!_

_Located in the Hollywood hills. 3-bedroom, 2-bath home. _

_Fully equipped kitchen. Washer and dryer in unit. _

_Very nice and quiet neighborhood._

_No Pets or Kids Please._

_Call (323) 555-2419 to inquire further._

It's definitely too late to call but I jot down the number on a post-it and stick it on my laptop. It was one of the few ads without pictures or a monthly rate. This could only mean one of two things; it's either out of my price range or so bad that posting any pictures would discourage anyone interested. Yet there was something about it that spoke to me.

* * *

The morning sun seeps into my bedroom, causing me to open my eyes before my alarm even goes off. When I glance at the alarm clock, I notice it's ten til nine and roll over, hugging my pillow and closing my eyes again. Only a few seconds pass before I snap them back open and jump off the bed, eagerly grabbing a hold of my phone.

My fingers begin dialing when I come to a realization. It's only going to be 6 a.m. in California and something tells me waking up the homeowner isn't in my best interest.

I shower and eat breakfast, while my mom listens to me ramble about all the research I've done. The excitement in my voice doesn't go unnoticed, but I'm cut short by the sound of the doorbell. Mom opens the door as I continue nibbling on my food. I can't quite make out what she's saying but I recognize the other voice and my heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. I concentrate my hearing to no avail and then all I hear is the slamming of the door.

"Tyler?" I ask, as she walks back into the dining room.

"Can you believe the nerve in that boy? He wanted to talk to you. I told him you weren't here, I hope that's ok." She says in an apologetic tone.

"You did the right thing, mom. I don't want to see him. There's absolutely nothing he can say to me at this point."

I finish up my breakfast and head back to my room but I still give it a couple more hours before I finally decide to call. For some reason I feel nervous and anxious, like I'm applying for a job or something. It takes my cellphone a while before it makes a connection, it rings only two times before someone answers.

"Hello?" A girl's voice picks up. From what I can tell, she sound pretty young, probably around my age if not younger.

"Hello. Hi! I'm calling in regards to the room you have for rent. I was wondering if it's still available." My voice sounds meek in comparison.

"Oh yes. God, I almost forgot about it, I posted that thing almost three weeks ago." She replies and I detect an accent right away. British, I think. Or maybe Australian? I'm not exactly sure.

"I noticed the ad didn't have a monthly rate." I respond in a weird questioning way.

"Yeah, it's um..." She pauses, and I immediately start feeling unsure. "Sorry, it's only that I never discussed the price with my brother."

"Oh! Your brother lives there too?" Now the feeling's gone from uncertainty to weirdness.

"No, no. But he was the one who suggested I get a roommate." She sounds sincere enough for me to stay on the line.

My mouth opens, but before I have a chance to say anything she continues. "Tell you what? Let's make it $400 a month, bills included. You just need to worry about buying your own groceries, the room's already furnished."

My mouth drops open again. I'm astounded, this sounds way too good to be true. Then fear creeps in, what if this place is infested with rats or something? Or even worse, what if it's one of those crack houses my mother warned me about?

"$400 a month, bills included? The room is already furnished?" I repeat. "You're kidding, right? What's the catch?" I shut my eyes, hoping I don't come across as rude.

"No catch. You can come see the place for yourself and if you don't like it, you can leave it, no questions asked." She replies and I can almost sense the smile on the other end.

"Sorry for my skepticism, it's only that with that good of an offer, it's hard to believe the place is still available."

She giggles. "No, I get it. I guess most people don't like replying to an ad that doesn't clearly state a price? I really don't know. But I'm available tomorrow morning, if you'd like to come by."

"The thing is, I'm from out of state. I live in Virginia and plan to move there in the coming week." I bite down on my lip, hoping she doesn't lose interest. "It would just be really great if I was able to find a place right away and limit my hotel stays."

"Wow, Virginia? That's a big change. I moved here a few years ago too, so trust me, I know what's it's like to venture into the unknown. Do you want to go ahead set up an appointment for next week?"

I smile wide and jump around in my room, holding in my squealing. "Yes! That would be great." I reply, as calmly as possible. "I'm sorry, after all this talking and I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Caroline. Caroline Forbes." I say enthusiastically.

"I look forward to meeting you, Caroline. My name's Rebekah and I hope you don't find this odd but I prefer to disclose my last name in person." She replies, cheerfully.

The appointment is set for the following Wednesday. That leaves me with six days to pack and get things ready for my big move. Waves of anxiety run through my body as I prepare myself to make the giant leap that will take me from one ocean to another.

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**Reviews are welcomed and much appreciated! **

**As of right now, I want to update twice a week, so expect Chapter 2 in the next few days! :) xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: As promised, here's the 2nd update for the week. I hope you guys enjoy it :) All your comments bring a smile to my face, you guys are so great!**

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**Chapter 2: Starting Anew**

* * *

I stare out the window of the airplane, watching the clouds part to reveal a giant mass of land underneath. Different colors; green, brown, red, cover the ground as the Captain announces our descent into the Los Angeles International Airport. My stomach is in knots, twirling around like a gymnast doing pirouettes, and it has nothing to do with the turbulence. I bring my seat back to the upright position and hold on the armrests as the plane gets closer and closer to the ground.

The last few days had gone by in a flash. I could sense my mom's sadness with every minute that passed. But I convinced her this was for the best and tried to cheer her up whenever possible. When she brought me to the airport, helping me drag along my three suitcases, she kissed me goodbye and teared up a bit. I held myself together and smiled to keep myself from crying.

My memories are jolted by the impact of the airplane's wheels on the runway, I look out the window at the enormous terminal and exhale deeply, taking in the sight of the city that will be my new home for an indefinite amount of time. I remain seated, some passengers are plain rude and start walking to the front from the back of the plane, even though some of us are still sitting down. I roll my eyes and decide to stay in my seat until the cluster of people has cleared.

Once in the terminal, I wander around, following the signs to baggage claim. My heart is thumping hard and I'm not even walking very fast. As I pass several souvenir stores I see a couple with two children, and I immediately feel a strong sense of homesickness. My forehead crinkles at how ridiculous I'm being, I've only been gone one day, there's no way I'm homesick. Culture shock? That's a completely different thing, and also very possible, even though I'm still in America. So that is also ridiculous of my part.

The luggage goes round and round in the carousel and I keep my eyes peeled for my bags. After about 15 minutes I look up at the screen and notice I'm standing in front of the wrong carousel. This one is for a flight that just came in from Chicago; I give myself an imaginary smack upside the head. When I find the correct carousel my three pieces of luggage are the only ones circling around and I look around sheepishly as I pull each of them off the band.

I take a seat in one of the terminal chairs and pull out my cell phone. It's a little bit after 2 p.m. and I had agreed to meet Rebekah at three. Considering she still has to give me her home's address, calling her is the best option. The line rings a few times and I begin to get nervous, thinking up scenarios for why she's not picking up. _ What if she was just messing with me? What if I made the trip here for nothing? What if I don't have enough money to even last me a month in this city? I don't want to go back ho-_

"Caroline!" She answers melodically.

"Hi, Rebekah!" I reply just as bubbly and excited. "I just arrived at the airport but I have no idea where to go."

"Sounds like you had a smooth flight." She replies, "I actually sent someone to pick you up. I hope you don't mind but I figured that was a lot easier than giving you an address, since you're not from around here."

"Oh." I'm taken aback. "Yeah, that sounds great! Um, how do I find this person?" My head looks around the airport until I notice a gentleman standing by the carousels holding a sign.

"His name's Jack. He should be wearing a suit and holding up a sign with your name on it."

"Yes. I think I see him." I walk over to the gentleman and sure enough, his sign reads _Miss Caroline Forbes_ in very sophisticated handwriting. I nod and wave at him as he follows me back to help me with my luggage. "I found him!" I announce and Rebekah lets out a sigh of relief.

After I hang up I make a quick call to let my mom know I've arrived safely. I also make her promise she won't tell Tyler of my whereabouts, something she's more than likely to follow through.

* * *

Jack isn't much of a talker. I'm babbling on about how beautiful everything is and how much different Los Angeles is in person but all he does is smile quietly and nod. I think the longest reply he gives me is, "I bet". We get stuck in traffic and stop at almost every street light; I can already tell I'm going to hate driving here. In the corner, I spot a billboard for a musical production and my heart sings with excitement. My goal is to hopefully make enough money to be able to pay for some theatre classes. I've always liked acting and signing, so being able to combine the two would be a dream come true.

I turn to the car next to us and notice a little girl looking directly at me. I smile and wave at her before realizing she can't see me behind the tinted glass. A faint blush covers my cheeks and I notice Jack smiling out of the corner of my eye.

The black Mercedes speeds off into a residential area, leaving behind the heavy traffic of the city. I stare in awe at the beautiful houses and just when I think I've found one I like the best, a better one comes along. There are giant trees lining up the sidewalks and we're practically driving completely under their shade. We make a few more turns, higher and higher up, until we finally arrive at a gated residence. I swallow hard, _this can't possibly be the place I'll be living in_, we make our way up the driveway. As I get out of the car, I notice we're looking over a hill. _Rebekah wasn't kidding about the 'awesome' view_.

The luggage and Jack, stay in the car as I make my way to the entrance of the home and ring the doorbell. After a couple minutes, a young blonde girl with blue eyes and freckled cheeks opens the door. She smiles wide when she sees me.

"Rebekah?" I ask, and everything feels so surreal.

"Hi, Caroline! You made it!" Her reply is genuine, "Rebekah Mikaelson," she extends her hand, introducing herself properly, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I shake it firmly, "Likewise," I respond, before she invites me inside.

"This isn't a house!" I blurt out, looking around the place wide-eyed, "This is a freaking mansion!" I'm dumbfounded, if she can't afford to live in a giant place like this, why not look for something more modest?

Rebekah laughs, looking at me with curiosity. We take a seat in the living room and she begins to explain why she posted the ad in the first place.

"I'm the youngest of four children and my brothers are a bit on the protective side. Especially my youngest brother Kol, he's weird like that." She looks around and notices we have nothing to drink. "Are you thirsty? I have water and lemonade in the fridge." She offers.

"I'll take a glass of water. Thanks." I smile.

I browse around the living room, while she's in the kitchen. There's a frame with a family picture on it over the fireplace. Her father seems like a guy you wouldn't want to mess with and her mother exudes elegance and class. I see her brothers, they're all a bit different from one another but all very handsome. _What a gene pool_. The one on the right, who I can only assume is the middle brother, catches my attention. There's something intriguing about him.

Rebekah returns with the waters and we resume our conversation. "Anyway, so Kol decided that it would be best for me to have a roommate so I wouldn't have to be all by myself in this house."

"Sounds like he's just trying to keep you safe." I say, taking a sip of my water.

"Yeah. As you can see, I'm not really doing this for economic reasons, hence the low rent." She smiles with closed lips.

She proceeds to show me the house. It's two stories and very chic, you can tell Rebekah has great sense of style. As she takes me from one room to the next, showing me the bathrooms and closets, and the different pictures on the wall, she continues to talk about her family. Turns out the Mikaelsons are well known in Los Angeles and other major cities in the US. They own a small hotel chain but their biggest asset is an automobile export company; which is the reason they moved here from London in the first place. I'm intrigued and captivated by her story and the more she continues telling me about her infamous family the luckier I feel to have stumbled upon that ad.

"Not to be completely mistrusting but I didn't want people to know that ad belonged to me. God only knows what kind of psychos I would've had to deal with."

"I get it. If I were you, I'd be just as careful."

"This will be your room." She announces, pushing the door open to reveal the bedroom, "Well, if you decide I'm a suitable roommate." She jokes.

"Oh yeah! You seem like the roommate from hell! And this place is horrible too, by the way." I tease as I walk into the bedroom.

She wasn't lying, it's fully furnished and has a spacious closet. There's a bathroom attached to the unit, complete with a bathtub and shower. My cheeks are starting to hurt from grinning so much. The cruelest thing that could happen to me at this moment would be to have someone wake me up and make me realize I've been dreaming all along.

"I love it!" My voice is high and pitchy. "I love it!" I reiterate with a huge smile on my face.

"Great! I'll tell Jack to bring your things up!"

* * *

Dinner was delicious, of course, it wasn't cooked by either of us but by the fine people at the best Italian restaurant Downtown. Well, I only know it's the 'best' because Rebekah described it that way.

"So Elijah runs the automobile company and Nik is in charge of the hotels. We're actually in the process of closing a deal with a prospective client; they're interested in selling property."

_Elijah... Nik... Kol... I can't quite put my finger on who's who. From the picture I can assume Kol is the one with short black hair and a mischievous smile, since he's the youngest brother. That description sure fits him._

"Are you ok?" She asks, noticing I've been spacing out for the last few minutes.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I was just- I saw the picture you have above the fireplace and was just wondering who was who. That's all."

Rebekah gets up from the couch and walks over to the frame, I follow. "Elijah is 32, he's the one with the hair," she laughs at the description and I know exactly which one she's referring to. "His hair is shorter now, similar to Kol's" she points to him. "They couldn't be any more different though. Elijah is proper and brings order to the family, while Kol is a bit of a loose cannon. He's 24, so he loves to party and spend his money on anything and everything." She raises her eyebrows. "Niklaus is 28 and he's definitely the most reserved of the bunch. He enjoys a good party every now and then but isn't the type to flash his money around. I think what I admire most about him is that when he puts his mind to something, there's no stopping him. Even though Kol and I are closer in age, I consider Nik to be my best friend. I'm 22, so that would make me the _baby._" She smiles.

I look at the picture, taking in the sight of the mysterious Niklaus Mikaelson and smile at Rebekah, thankful that she chose to share such intimate information with me.

"What about your mother? She seems lovely." I note.

"Don't let looks fool you. My mother is a bit _peculiar_, after my father passed away, all she's been interested in is making our family bloody rich." Rebekah wrinkles her nose as if disgusted by the thought. "To this day she still doesn't like the fact that I took up ballet instead of investing time in the family business. Like I was supposed to go around managing the sale of cars or something." She shakes her head in disbelief.

"You're a ballet dancer?" I light up like a Christmas tree, anything that has to do with performing arts makes me giddy.

"Yes. I only do shows a few months out of the year and the pay isn't much but I love doing it. When I'm up on that stage, nothing else matter." Her eyes glaze over and I know that she has a real passion for what she does.

I'm amazed by how humble and kind Rebekah is. Her family is drowning in millions and yet she doesn't like to brag about it and from the way she's been treating me, I can tell she doesn't think of me any differently.

We spend the rest of the night talking about my family and my problems. I tell her about my horrible recent experience and it's comical to see her talk crap about my ex even though she's never met him. I tell her about my dreams to one day star in a Broadway production and confess to her that I had abandoned that dream when I got together with Tyler. I figured I would always be stuck in Yorktown, Virginia and never see it to fruition.

"Well I don't want to sound like I don't care but maybe, him cheating on you was sort of a good thing?" She looks at me, uncertain of how I'm going to react.

"I've thought about it that way too." I reply with a smile. "In fact, I've thought about it a lot."

* * *

Finding a job in this town is like searching for a needles in a haystack. One minute someone is interested, the next, they've already hired someone 'more suitable' for the position. After a week of endless searching, I can't seem to catch a break and Rebekah comes in just as I'm cursing at my laptop for not showing me proper results.

"Rough day?" She asks, leaning against the doorframe.

I look over to notice she's dressed in a beautiful blue gown and her hair's styled in a sophisticated up-do. It looks like something someone would wear to go to the opera or a very lavish party.

"Just looking for a job. This economy blows!" I reply. "On a side note, your dress is stunning!"

She huffs, "I have to attend a family party. All of our business partners will be there and mom insisted I'd go. I would love to bring you along but she reminded me, more than once, that _outsiders_ were not permitted." She rolls her eyes at the word. "Besides, I'd like you to meet my brothers and two of them are out of town."

"It's ok. I rather stay home and look through these endless job listings, which I'm not in the least qualified for, anyway." I stick out my tongue and laugh.

"Hmmm..." Rebekah looks down at the floor and then back up at me, narrowing her eyes in deep thought.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I think I might be able to help you out with the job thing. I hope you don't hate me afterwards though." She grins and runs off before I can even ask her to elaborate.

* * *

**If only Rebekah & Caroline were buddies on the show too... **

**Leave me a quick review and let me know how I did! Constructive criticism is always welcomed! **

**Expect the next chapter by Tuesday! :) xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I almost forgot it's Tuesday! I was debating on whether to post it now or later but I figured since I'm going to the store to buy TVD S3, I won't be doing anything else for the rest of the day! ;)**

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**Chapter 3: The Interview**

* * *

It's not a exactly a job I ever pictured myself doing, but I have to admit it's better than waiting tables at the nearest sports bar. However, the idea of having to work for Niklaus Mikaelson is giving me all kinds of nervous jitters.

"Nik fired his assistant a few days ago, and I highly doubt he's found a suitable candidate as of yet." Rebekah looks at me in a wary way.

The weather is looking just as gloomy as the possibility of me getting hired. The thing about Los Angeles is that you can only judge the seasons by the weather. As we sit on the balcony, I look around at the surrounding hills, only spotting a few colorful trees. I miss seeing my driveway covered in a vivid disarray of multicolored leaves and watching the trees lose their foliage in preparation for the winter.

"He's an asshole, isn't he?" I mutter, then look at her wishing I could take back my words. Rebekah's become a very good friend but calling her brother an asshole was probably crossing the line.

She laughs, shaking her head and looking at me like a mother looks at her child when she's afraid of the monster under her bed. "Nik can be a little impatient. But he's not a bad person." My expression must be that of uncertainty because she quickly adds, "It'll be fine. I put in a good word for you and Nik is usually nice to people I introduce him to."

The corner of my lips lift up in a smile as I begin to relax. I know absolutely nothing about him but maybe that's a good thing. She hands me the address to his office and a phone number. All the arrangements have been made and I'll be interviewing with him tomorrow morning.

* * *

The building isn't hard to find, the cab driver drop me off right at the entrance. Before I go inside, I look up at the immense building, as I stand underneath its shadow. My hands run smoothly over my skirt and I re-tuck my immaculately white blouse inside the waistband. There's a security guard right at the entrance that gently nods at me as I make my way to the elevator.

I press the button to the 20th floor and it shoots up without making a single stop, opening its doors slowly into an empty hall as it reaches my destination. When I arrive at the office, there are already three other girls waiting. I check in with the receptionist and take a seat next to an Asian girl who looks to be about my age. She's wearing glasses and whispering to herself as if she's practicing a speech. I raise my eyebrows and wait, picking up one of the travel magazines from the table in front of me. I'm surprisingly relaxed and in a good mood.

"Aren't you nervous?" She asks me quietly.

"Um... yea?" I reply, giving the answer I think she's looking for.

"Mr. Mikaelson is very picky when it comes to his employees." She says almost in a whisper, "I'd unbutton my shirt a little more, if I were you." Her eyebrows lift up in perfectly symmetrical arches.

I look over at the other girls sitting beside her. They're both young and very pretty. One of them, the redhead, looks over at me quickly and gives me the up and down. The brunette is too busy going through her portfolio, examining every piece of paper carefully as she incessantly taps her foot on the floor. They're all dressed very similar, their two top buttons of their blouse undone, showing enough cleavage to cause a double-take, and wearing the type of high heels that would give me a blister after just a few steps.

_Wow, this guy really likes variety. Is he looking to hire a personal assistant or is he casting for a porn?_

The receptionist calls the name of the redhead, who immediately stands up and walks to the door like she's walking down a fashion runway in Paris. I giggle under my breath at how ridiculous she looks.

"I heard he fired his last P.A. because she put the wrong kind of cream in his coffee." The girl whispers again, "Then again, there are others that say they had a thing going on and it ended horribly."

"Really?" I reply, fascinated by the account.

"Yes, apparently the girl wanted to get serious but he's not that type of guy. He just likes girls for, you know... a short time." Her voice is muffled by her hand, as she tries to sound inconspicuous.

I ponder her words and then think back to Rebekah. There's no way she would have kept those details about her brother from me. If they were true, she would've told me about it. _Right?_

"He's so handsome though, one night would be enough for me." She speaks again and I look at her in disbelief. Her innocent facade is exactly just that, I suppose.

We hear the door creak and the redhead steps out. She looks extremely pleased with herself as she readjusts her shirt and runs her hand over her hair. My stomach is now in turmoil and I don't even want to imagine what happened in that room for her to act like she's walking on water. Her voice is loud enough for us to hear her conversation and I'm convinced she's doing it on purpose.

"Mr. Mikaelson asked me to leave my phone number with you. He says he's interested in seeing me again." Her voice is loud and obnoxious and I look over to the girl next to me and make a gagging expression.

As soon as she walks out the office, I begin to feel even less worried about the interview and more intrigued to find out what Niklaus Mikaelson is really like. Then I find myself hoping that this redhead really did get the job because if working for Rebekah's brother means I have to leave my dignity and self-respect at the door, then this job is just not for me.

"Caroline Forbes." The receptionist calls out my name and I stand up, looking at the other two girls who have been waiting before me.

"Yes." I reply.

"Mr. Mikaelson will see you now." Her answer is dull, "You will be the last interview of the day." She announces.

The brunette stands up, furious, _if looks could kill_, as she starts complaining about being there since nine in the morning and some stupid blonde bimbo, _that would be me_, just came in and took her spot. I feel horrible, it wasn't my intention to take anyone's time slot and I was more than willing to wait my turn. I guess Rebekah did pull some strings after all. I look over at the Asian girl who was sitting beside me.

"I'm sorry." I mouth.

"It's ok." She replies in the same manner, grabbing a hold of her purse and making her way to the exit.

"You need to calm down or I will call security!" The receptionist stands up from her chair for the first time. "And what are _you_ waiting for? Go on!" She tells me, as I scurry to the door, prepared to see Niklaus Mikaelson face to face for the first time.

* * *

He stands up from behind his desk, wearing a custom tailored designer suit, as he makes his way towards me. His curly hair is a bit shorter and styled and he displays barely noticeable scruff. He's handsome, there's no doubt about it. He smiles and his lips are quite distracting, the dimples on his face make him look almost angelic. _Don't forget, the devil was once an angel._ One thing's for sure, the family picture Rebekah has back home doesn't do him justice.

"Good afternoon." He greets me, before extending his hand to me. "Klaus Mikaelson," he says in a rich accent and an almost seductive tone.

_Klaus?_

I smile back at him, taking a hold of his hand as he grips me firmly, "Caroline Forbes, very nice to meet you, Mr. Mikaelson." After a few seconds he releases my hand and asks me to take a seat.

"So you're my sister's roommate." It's not a question, mainly just a way of him pointing out that he knows who I am, I nod anyway. "Rebekah's said a lot of very nice things about you."

"She might be guilty of bias." I reply, "She's said very nice things about you too." I quickly stiffen, realizing the implications my two statements have created.

He simply chuckles and comes to his feet again. I watch him walk over to the mini bar next to his desk and he pours himself a glass of what I can deduce is a type of whiskey.

"Care for a drink?" He asks, lifting up his glass to me.

_Uh, it's 10 a.m._ "No, thank you." I shake my head and look down at the floor.

This doesn't feel like an interview at all. I was prepared to answer questions and explain why I'm a good candidate for the position. I wasn't expecting to get offered liquor and be looked at like I'm a hopeless little animal behind a crystal case. He sits down in front of me and drinks from his glass. It's painfully silent and he stares at me to the point where I begin to feel uneasy. I want to say something, but what? He's the one that's supposed to be asking the questions.

I think back to the redhead who was just in here a few minutes ago. Is this what happened with her? Did he just sit and stare at her until she made the first move. I shiver, thinking of what that first move might have been. My mind wanders and I look around the office trying to distract myself, noticing the different paintings on the wall and a large bookcase filled with books I've never even heard of before.

"Is this how you go about your interviews?" I finally ask, bravely.

He smirks, almost mockingly. "Rebekah asked me to hire you because you really need the job. Is it really necessary for me to ask you questions when it won't matter at all what your answers will be?"

"No, I guess it's not. But why did you schedule me for an interview then? Why schedule any of the other girls who were out in the lobby if you already had a clear choice made?" I realize I'm being a little feisty and frankly, I have no idea where this courage is coming from. He's the one drinking, not me.

"You know, you're the first girl that comes in here and doesn't try to take her clothes off?" He smiles wickedly, taking another gulp of whiskey. "The last girl acted like she was hear to get a physical exam." The corner of his lip lifts up in a crooked, arrogant smile.

My eyes widen and I can't help laughing. "I'm sorry, am I hurting your ego?" My sarcasm knows no bounds. "I suppose that you, being a _man _and all, couldn't possibly turn any of those women down. Right?" I look around the office, disgusted by the sort of things he must have done in the past.

"I don't know. Is that the kind of man you think I am?" He asks and something about his question stuns me.

"Mr. Mikaelson, I don't know you. All I know is that I saw a very pretty redhead walk out of your office, looking like she had just been in a very compromising situation." I look him straight in the eye. He licks his lips, smiling and his stupid little dimples make their appearance again.

"Miss Forbes, your sharp tongue and high morals are actually quite impressive. They're admirable qualities in a town like this, where looks and money seem to be the only thing people value." He's not angry, at least I don't think he is; he's very hard to read.

I can't quite decide on how I'm supposed to feel about what he just said. He obviously doesn't come across many women with self-respect, that much is clear. But he also mentioned people value looks and money, well I sure as hell am not rich. Is he also trying to imply I'm not pretty? _Why do I even care what he thinks of me?_

"But we're not here to talk about your character traits, so why don't I just tell you what is expected of you as my personal assistant?" He smirks, staring at my blonde locks as they fall over parts of my features. His hand reaches over his desk and hesitantly tucks the loose strands behind my ear. "Your face is far too beautiful to be hidden behind your hair." He clears his throat and straightens himself in the chair. I'm motionless, not knowing how to respond. _Is he coming on to me? _He's crazy if he thinks I'm going to crumble to his feet and become putty in his hands.

"Mr. Mikaelson, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm just here to do my job. That's all." I know what's in my best interest and right now, keeping my distance is it.

The last time a guy cheated on me, I was too stupid to see the signs. I would have to be a real idiot to fall for a guy who clearly doesn't take women or relationships seriously.

"Of course," he replies, "You will be in charge of setting and confirming appointments with potential clients, answering phone calls, taking messages when I'm out of the office and keeping my calendar organized. You will be expected to remind me of any appointments or events I have to attend." He pauses so I can assimilate what he's just said, "You will also be required to attend all business meetings and take notes for me. As well as accompanying me on the occasional business trip."

I nod, "Ok, sounds simple enough." I say unconvinced.

"Also, you should know that punctuality is very important, so please be here on time every day."

"You don't have to worry about that, Sir. Punctuality is very important to me too." I relinquish a smile.

"There are other things that might be asked of you as well. Please try your best to comply with my requests." He concludes and something about that last statement makes my imagination run wild.

* * *

**Thank you guys so much for taking the time to review the chapters! I appreciate it tons & keeps me motivated :) xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Heeey! I have not forgotten about you guys! Here's the latest chapter, hope you guys like it :)**

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**Chapter 4: Different Names for the Same Thing**

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It's Saturday morning and I wake up earlier than I'd like. I can hear talking downstairs and commotion in the kitchen. I rub by eyes and prop myself up on my elbow, looking over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It's only 9 o'clock and I'm suddenly overtaken by curiosity, wondering who Rebekah could be talking to at this hour. I quickly jump off the bed and pull my messy hair up in a ponytail, leaving some strands free to tuck behind my ear. As I'm washing my face, my mind becomes cluttered with his words.

_Your face is far too beautiful to be hidden behind your hair._

I huff, thinking back to my meeting with the now infamous Niklaus, or how he likes to be called, _Klaus_ Mikaelson. There's a pair of jeans draped over the chair next to the window and I don't think twice before slipping them on. I leave my night's tank top on but put on a bra before heading downstairs.

The house is suddenly quiet to the point where I begin to think I've imagined the whole thing. I walk calmly down the stairs and make my way to the kitchen. Rebekah's standing in front of the counter, an array of breakfast options in front of her. She's dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, her hair is perfectly straight and she's wearing minimal makeup. _That's definitely a whole lot of food for just the two of us._

"I was hoping you were going to get up soon." She says cheerily, handing me a plate.

"What's going on?" I ask, pointing to the clock on the microwave; Rebekah's not an early bird.

"Early morning call from _inconsiderate siblings_!" She practically yells, emphasizing it as much as possible.

I don't have a chance to reply before all three of the Mikaelson brothers walk in from the patio. I'm petrified. They're all dressed so nicely and proper and here I am, dressed in jeans and the shirt I slept in. If the earth opened up and swallowed me whole, I wouldn't completely oppose to it. In fact, I'd consider it the biggest blessing of all time.

"Hey! You didn't mention she was hot!" Kol's the first one to speak. And I can see Niklaus, _Nik? Klaus?_ behind him, completely unimpressed by his little brother's remark. He makes eye contact with me for a second before I peel my gaze away to bring my attention to Kol.

I shake his hand and smile. "Hi, I'm Caroline."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Caroline. Kol Mikaelson." He flashes me a grin and there's no doubt he's the flirt of the family.

"Leave her alone, Kol. Caroline's not interested in spoiled little rich boys." Rebekah teases, chuckling as she covers her plate with food.

Kol proceeds to wink at me, causing me to giggle.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Caroline. I'm Elijah." The oldest Mikaelson smiles kindly, extending his hand towards me. I shake it firmly and tell him how nice it is to finally meet them in person.

They continue to serve themselves breakfast, joking with Rebekah about how they didn't know she could cook. She punches Kol in the arm, when he asks if there's a risk of getting food poisoning at any point in the day.

"Well, it's wonderful to meet you in a less formal setting." My now boss, stands close to me and I get the strange sensation that I'm being cornered.

"Mr. Mikaelson, I didn't think I'd be seeing you until Monday." I reply, my mouth suddenly going dry.

"We're not at work Caroline," the way he says my name makes my stomach flip, leaving me with a sense of panic and confusion, "Please, call me Klaus."

I nod with a smile and walk over to the kitchen counter, to join the others. _What is happening to me?_ I can't seem to explain why he has such an effect on me but I try my best to ignore it. _Klaus_ Mikaelson isn't good for me.

We all sit around the table in the patio, underneath a gazebo. There's a light crisp breeze but it's comfortable enough to be outside without a sweater. The sun is shining between patches of clouds and something tells me tomorrow won't be this nice.

"Niklaus told us you're his new P.A." Elijah says taking a break from his food.

"Yeah, good luck!" Kol chimes in, raising his eyebrows, before stuffing his mouth with a forkful of waffles.

I smile as Rebekah finds her brother's comment humorous. "Yeah. Klaus was nice enough to offer me the job. I'll try my best not to let him down." I look over at him, it's the first time I've ever called him Klaus and it feels strange and unnatural. "Of course, I have to give equal, if not more credit to Rebekah for helping me with that."

"Oh. Trust me, if Nik hadn't liked you, he wouldn't have hired you. Doesn't matter what I would've said." Rebekah's comment makes Klaus smirk. "Isn't that right, Nik?" He nods.

"Although, with all due respect, look at her, what's not to like?" Kol adds.

"He's like this all the time, Caroline. You better get use to it." Rebekah playfully warms me about her brother's Casanova ways.

"I hired her because she was fitting for the job. I think she'll be an excellent P.A." Klaus chimes in.

_Well he's not only a womanizer but also a blatant liar. _I look at him with knowing eyes, we both are perfectly aware that the only reason he hired me was because Rebekah asked him to. I have zero experience and he knows it.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to start a debate." Elijah continues, "But we have been wanting to meet you, seeing as you've become very close with our sister."

"Well, I'm glad it finally happened. Rebekah's talked a lot about you." I set my fork down and drink the last of my orange juice.

The conversation continues, they tell me the reason they hadn't visited sooner was because they-Elijah and Kol-had been in Canada for three weeks. The discussion quickly shifts to me and I tell them all about my move and my love of musical theatre. Of course, I leave out the part about me walking in on my fiancée while he was with another woman. I cringe a little inside, the memory seems so distant and yet it's only been about two weeks. We're all laughing and sharing stories, and it's only in a split second that I realize I'm actually sharing a laugh with _him_. He looks at me intently as the laughing dies down and I become engulfed in the same indescribable feeling from earlier.

I get up from the table and offer to clean up. Rebekah insists that I leave things where they are but she doesn't realize I'm trying to find an escape route. They're nice enough to stack the dishes for me and I bring them into the kitchen, taking my time as I wash them. A few minutes later I hear Elijah bidding goodbye and I breathe a sigh of relief, knowing they're finally leaving, knowing _he's_ finally leaving.

I dry my hands and accompany them along with Rebekah to the door.

"We'll be seeing you around, Caroline." Elijah smiles passively as I wave.

"See you guys later!" I reply. Kol waves and says goodbye.

"See you Monday, _Miss Forbes_." Klaus says and I know it's a stab at me calling him 'Mr. Mikaelson' earlier.

"Looking forward to it." And even though it's supposed to be sarcastic, deep down I know it's not entirely a lie.

"And don't drive like lunatics!" Rebekah yells out before she shuts the door.

When that door closes, my breathing steadies and it's the most comforting thing I've felt since I woke up this morning. Rebekah looks at me dubiously.

"What was that all about?" Her tone is playful.

"What?" I ask, turning around as she follows me to the living room.

"Caroline..." She begins, "Did something happen between you and Nik that you haven't told me about?"

I can tell she won't leave me alone until I tell her everything. So where do I start? _Oh yeah! Your brother, who happens to be extremely attractive, makes me feel things I don't want to feel. I've heard he's quite the ladies man. Also there was a redhead with big boobs and I think he's a jerk that just wants to get me into bed_. She stares at me blankly, waiting for me to say something.

"Is it true, he was sleeping with his previous P.A. and it ended horribly?" I mutter.

She widens her eyes and tries hard to hold in her laugh. "What?"

Stupid doesn't even begin to describe how I'm feeling at this point.

"Unless he's suddenly into guys... I can't imagine Nik and 50-year-old Steve-" Her face scrunches up, "Oh god! I don't even want to say it." She puts her hand over her mouth and shakes her head, trying to erase the thought.

_Steve? His last P.A. was a man named Steve?_ Well, this is by far a completely different scenario than I had imagined. But it still doesn't explain the redhead and her smug face. Then again, I doubt Rebekah would be able to explain that one.

"Oh." I say before I start laughing at the misunderstanding.

"It's been a while since Nik's been serious with anyone but I'm positive he's straight." She says recovering from her laugh. "He fired him because he found out he was stealing from him. Every time they'd go on trips, he'd take money from him and blame it on housekeeping. It was pretty ridiculous, considering how well he paid him."

"Really? Well that's not what some people think happened." I don't have to look in a mirror to know that I'm blushing.

"Is that what's been bothering you this whole time?"

"Yes and no." I look at her contemplating how much more I should say. "How does he usually treat his employees? Females, in particular..."

"Please tell me he hasn't been disrespectful." She sounds displeased.

I shake my head abruptly, "No! He's been very professional. But..." I pause and figure Rebekah's proven to be a good friend. "Look, I'm not going to lie. Your brother is a good looking guy, and please don't take this the wrong way but there's just something about him that makes me wary about trusting him."

She looks at me puzzled. "What did he do?"

That's where the problem lies, he hasn't done anything. I'm afraid of what he will do and what I'll allow him to do. I don't want to be taken advantage of in any way but I can't exactly tell Rebekah that. It's like condemning Klaus for something that hasn't even happened yet.

"Yesterday, before I met him... The previous girl who was in his office walked out of there. I don't want to make assumptions, but it's kind of difficult when she's re-tucking her blouse and fixing her hair." My stomach feels like I'm in a roller coaster.

"Oh." She says, looking at me embarrassed. "I don't know what to say, I know my brother better than anyone and it's hard for me to believe he'd do something so irresponsible at his work place. But then again, I wasn't there so I can't swear by it."

"I know it's none of my business. I just wanted to know if you had any more input." I reply, pressing my lips into a straight line.

"Sorry." Rebekah says shaking her head, "I can tell he likes you though, it's so obvious!" She teases and I'm immediately interested.

"How?" I ask.

"Because he looks at you a certain way. And the way he talks about you." She says with a grin.

_Klaus Mikaelson actually took the time to talk about me?_ I decide not to probe further. I don't want to sound too eager but I'm dying to know what she means.

"By the way, he asked me to take you shopping for business clothes. He wants his clients to, quote, _take you seriously_." She rolls her eyes.

"Oh. So my business attire wasn't of his liking." I grimace.

"On the contrary. He found your attire a bit _distracting_. He also reproached me for not telling him how, and again I quote, _breathtakingly beautiful_ you are." She nods with a smirk on her face.

I feel the blood rushing to my face. "Klaus sure confides in you a lot."

"Yeah... I told you we're close! Also, call him Nik. Trust me, he likes it a lot better but pretends not to." She smiles warmly.

_Nik... I think I can get used to that._

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**Next chapter will be uploaded on Tuesday! Hope you guys have a great weekend! xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks to every single one of you who has left a review! I'm so glad you guys are liking the story so far... hope that continues ;)**

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**Chapter 5: Dropping Formalities**

* * *

I still haven't bought a car and I hate relying on Rebekah to call Jack and ask him to come pick me up. I understand that she doesn't mind and that he's pretty much getting paid to drive any of the Mikaelsons wherever they want. However, I'm not a Mikaelson and I feel like I'm taking advantage of Rebekah's kindness; she's already letting me live here practically for free. I pick up the phone and call a cab, as I finish getting ready for my first day of work.

My arms slip into one of the grey suit jackets I bought over the weekend, and I button it carefully, looking at myself in the mirror. The skirt I'm wearing today is a little longer than the one I wore to the interview and my hair is tied up in a side-swept ponytail. I've yet to do my makeup but I figured a natural look doesn't take too long to do. I rush into the bathroom and pop in my contacts, my right eye immediately rejects it. _I hate it when this happens!_ I try blinking several times, hoping this will fix the problem, but it's only causing my eye to get irritated and red. I huff in frustration and remove them immediately.

Digging my hands into one of the dresser drawers, I pull out the black case that contains my glasses. I wipe them clean and put them on. I like them but I prefer my contacts a million times more. I proceed to apply my make up, only using neutral colors; light on the eyeliner, a touch of mascara, and a dab of lipstick and I'm ready to go.

It's 7:15 a.m. and Rebekah is still asleep. I only have time to eat half a bagel and brush my teeth before the cab driver calls. I grab my suitcase and rush out the door.

* * *

It's five minutes til 8:00 a.m. when I show up at the building; it's a good thing the elevators move at lighting speed. Nik greets me, looking dapper as always, when I walk into his office. There's a desk across the room, which I assume is where I'll be working from.

"Right on time, Ms. Forbes." He smiles, staring curiously at my glasses.

"My contacts weren't cooperating with me this morning." I explain, even though he hasn't made a single comment about them.

"They look great on you." He says, and I smile shyly as I take a seat on my desk.

"First thing's first... coffee. I can't go on with my day without having some caffeine in my system." His voice sounds hoarse as if already the effects of caffeine withdrawal are taking over.

I look down at the floor, trying to hide my amusement and come to my feet. "How do you take your coffee, Mr. Mikaelson?" I ask, making my way to the door.

"There's a coffee shop on the first floor. Double shot of espresso, no cream, 3 packets of sugar." He says and I nod, "_Real_ sugar. None of that diet stuff." I halt mid-step, letting him finish before closing the door behind me.

_Real_ sugar, well no shit, otherwise he would have specified artificial sweetener. I wonder if he thinks I'm really stupid or if his former employees really had a hard time distinguishing between the two. I make my way down the elevator and head to the coffee shop. It's like I'm wearing a flashing sign that says 'Hey look at me! Look at me!' because everyone turns in my direction. I furrow my eyebrows and discretely check my clothing, perhaps I have something on me? Nope, they've just figured out I'm new.

I order the coffee exactly how he wants it and tell the barista who the order is for. She doesn't charge me anything, so I assume the bill goes directly to him.

* * *

I come into the office and find his back turned to me. He's looking out the window, down at the traffic of the city as he speaks to someone on the phone. All I catch is something about a meeting and a potential client in Nevada. I set his coffee down on his desk and retire to my corner of the room. After about 15 minutes, he hangs up.

"Your first business trip with me is coming up in less than two weeks. I have a very important client in Las Vegas that wants to meet in person." I look at him like a deer in headlights. "Are you okay?" He simpers, staring at me like I'm a lost puppy.

"Yes. Sorry. Las Vegas, noted." I say, opening the calendar on my phone, "What date is that on?"

He laughs. "November 9th. Here, I'll show you how to set up the calendar so it's synchronized with the one on the computer. It'll be a lot easier to keep track of things that way." He grabs his coffee and comes to stand behind me.

I feel like the air's been sucked out of the room and I struggle to breathe normally as I sense him getting closer to me. He leans over my shoulder and moves the mouse around to open the calendar application on the computer. I can feel the flaps of his suit resting against the back of my neck and his tie brush against me every time he moves his arm around.

"What kind of phone do you have?" He asks.

"iPhone." I reply quietly, breathing in the smell of his cologne.

"What's your number?" He asks, a dark, alluring quality to his voice.

I blink a few times and look up at him. _My number?_

"I need to type it in, in order to link it. Or you can do it yourself, if you'd like." He says with a smirk, and his face is so close to me that I'm finding it very difficult to concentrate.

I swallow, feeling a bit embarrassed, as I type in my number quickly and surprisingly without any mistakes. After a few seconds my phone is all set and synced with the computer's calendar.

He goes on to show me how simple it is to work the rest of the programs I will be using. He pauses every once in a while, waiting for me to confirm that I have, in fact, understood everything he's said. After a few minutes, he straightens himself back up and removes his jacket, tossing it over another chair. I'm starting to feel a little suffocated myself but stay put.

"It's a bit warm in here, isn't it?" His tone is serious.

_Actually I feel like I'm engulfed in flames, _I want to scream, but I just smile and nod. He stares at me and I realize he's waiting for me to take off my jacket too. I slip it off quickly and place it on the backrest of my chair. I stare blankly at the computer screen until he once again leans over.

"This program right here..." He points with the mouse and double clicks, "Is the one you'll be using to organize all of our clients' information. You'll mark down whether you've already called them, if you left a message, when you have to call back, etc. Once you have an appointment arranged, then you can mark it on the calendar." His words leave a vibrating sensation in my ear and I shudder in response.

"Ok. I think I got it." I reply mellowly, without looking up at him; it's too distracting otherwise.

"I recommend you play around with each of the programs and explore all their features. We don't have much going on today, so it'll be good for you to practice before actually diving in." He takes a sip from his coffee and walks back to his desk.

"I will do that." I say, feeling a little guilty by the course my eyes take as I watch him walk back to his desk.

"There are weekly meetings on Fridays, those are also _usually_ early days. Unless, of course I have other things for you to do that require you to stay a little later. You don't mind that, do you?" He tilts his head down and raises his eyebrows questioningly.

"Of course not." I reply, causing him to nod and purse his lips.

He hands me a list of contacts, I'm to familiarize myself with every single one because I'll be setting up appointments with them in the following weeks. The paper notes their names, the company they work for, as well as interesting facts about them and why they're excellent prospective investors. To say it's interesting reading material would be a lie.

* * *

That list and the computer programs keep me busy for most of the morning and even for a few hours more after I return from lunch. I come back to an empty office and figure Nik's allowed to take a longer lunch than the rest of us, being the boss and all. _I wonder how he'll feel about me calling him Nik instead of Klaus?_ I'm just about finished going through the list and entering the data into the computer when the phone rings. The sound makes me jump.

"Hello?" I pick up and then I shut my eyes and curse internally. _Hello? Really? That's sure to earn you brownie points on your first day of work._

"I'm sorry, is this the office of Niklaus Mikaelson?" A young woman on the other end replies, a bit confused by my greeting.

"Yes. I apologize. This is his assistant speaking." I say, trying to sound like I have things under control.

"Well, is Mr. Mikaelson available? I'd like to speak with him." She replies and I can tell she's starting to get irritated.

I wrinkle my nose. "He's not in right now, would you like to leave a message and a number where he can reach you?"

She's silent but I can still hear her breathing on the other end. "Tell him Tatia Petrova called. I'm in Ireland right now but I'll be back in town next week and I'd like to get together for lunch some time. He already has my number." She pauses, "Also, please tell him to train his employees properly and teach them how to answer the phone."

I don't have a chance to reply before the line goes dead. I raise my eyebrows and don't know whether to laugh or be offended by her rudeness. A few minutes later, Nik walks into the office. He flashes me a smile and those dimples that are quickly becoming my achilles heel, threaten to break down all my barriers.

"Tatia Petrova called." I begin and I notice his demeanor changes drastically. "She's in Ireland right now but will be back next week and would like to schedule lunch with you."

The way he reacts when he hears her name makes me feel uneasy. This woman must be very important to him and it doesn't sit well with me for some reason.

"If I know Tatia, she's going to be persistent to no end. However, tell her I'm completely swamped for the rest of the month and our lunch _meeting_ will have to wait." He replies sternly. "I have no interest in seeing her any time soon, but of course you can leave that part out." He says with a smirk.

His response makes me feel better but I'm still very much interested in learning more about this Tatia Petrova and I know exactly who to go to.

* * *

I curl up in the sofa, watching TV but not really paying attention to it. Rebekah's in the kitchen scooping ice cream into bowls, even though the weather outside is apt for hot chocolate. She comes back, doing a little dance and hands me my bowl as she takes a seat next to me.

"Have I ever told you, how glad I am to have you as my roommate?" She asks, taking a spoonful of ice cream.

"I couldn't imagine ever lasting this long in this town if it wasn't for you!" I reply with a smile.

And it's the truth. If it wasn't for her, I'd probably be out in the streets right now or staying in a seedy motel somewhere in the outskirts of town. The moving pictures on the TV are captivating but I'm still thinking about the mysterious woman that called the office today.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" I say.

"Sorry... I like men." She replies with a chuckle and I bump my shoulder into her playfully.

"No, really... it's personal but not necessarily personal to you?"

She looks at me confused. "It's a personal question yet it's not personal to me... What is it?"

"Someone called the office today." I lick the spoon full of ice cream, pausing for a moment. "Tatia Petrova," I explain and Rebekah sticks her tongue out, faking to choke on her ice cream. "Who is she?" I ask, trying to come across nonchalant.

"The witch from your childhood nightmares." She says in a serious tone. "Her father owns an affiliate auto export company. Think of the snobbiest, most annoying, Hollywood starlet you can think of; that's Tatia times a billion."

I raise my eyebrows, wide-eyed. "That bad, huh?"

Rebekah grunts. "My mother adores her for some reason. I'll never understand it. Ever." She pauses, "So she called the office? Hmmm... I feel sorry for Nik."

I stare at her, waiting for her to continue.

"She and Nik were together for about 2 years but he knew she wasn't right for him. You really have to meet Tatia to know what I'm talking about. She's very self-righteous and selfish, interested only in her own gain. Nik broke up with her about a year ago and that's when she moved to Ireland." She eats more of her ice cream, shaking her head at me. "Unfortunately, it sounds like she decided to come back."

It's quiet and then Rebekah starts laughing, remembering something funny. "She made a spectacle at one of Nik's art exhibits. This event was a huge deal for him! And she just showed up and started arguing with him in front of everyone because he used a model instead of her for one of his sketches. It was so stupid, not to mention embarrassing. Nik was furious, I have never seen him that way before. It was definitely the straw that broke the camel's back."

I realize the story of how he dumped Tatia is fascinating but now I'm all caught up on the fact that he's also an artist. "I didn't know he was into art." I mutter, basically putting aside everything else she just said.

"He loves it! It's mainly a hobby but he has had his art displayed in exhibits before. Of course, ever since that little incident he hasn't done much."

"Interesting." I reply, beginning to see my boss in a whole different light.

* * *

After being officially employed for a total of eight days now, I'm feeling pretty confident. I make a habit of stopping by the coffee shop before heading up to the office and Nik seems pleased that he only had to ask me for coffee the first day. I alternate between glasses and no glasses depending on my mood, but really deep down I know I do it because he likes the way they look on me.

The programs have been relatively easy to learn and I've already scheduled a couple meetings. Tatia has called a total of 50 times in the course of 8 days and it makes me wonder why Nik doesn't just block her from calling all together. _You'd think he'd be able to pay someone to take care of that._

"About this weekend," he begins and I look up from behind my computer, fixing my glasses in the process, "We'll be flying early in the morning. Our meeting with the client isn't until later that evening." I nod, paying close attention. "The way business trips work is... you're obligated to keep up with tasks until I dismiss you for the day. After we're done, you can do whatever you want. I guess you can consider it a mini-vacation of sorts."

"That sounds great." I reply.

"It's Sin City, so please don't go too wild on me." He says coyly, causing me look away embarrassed.

"You have nothing to worry about, ." I catch myself quickly.

"Nick?" He replies dubiously.

_Ok, not quickly enough._

I feel like I'm having a panic attack. There's a sudden shortness of breath and a high possibility I might pass out any minute. To complicate matters more, I can't figure out what kind of look he's giving me but it's not helping my feelings of anxiety.

"I'm sorry. It's a force of habit." I scramble through my words without looking up at him, it will only make things worst.

"Force of habit. Really? I can't recall you ever calling me Nik before." He counters and I can sense his amusement now. He finds my slip quite entertaining, taking twisted pleasure in my humiliation.

I try to regain my composure, remembering that I still don't know him as well as I think. He seems to enjoy ridiculing me and I refuse to give him the satisfaction. I remain silent.

"It's ok, you can call me Nik. We can drop the formalities all together. Would you like that, Caroline?" The sound emitting from his mouth is exquisite. He walks towards my desk and stands right in front of my computer, towering over me.

"I don't think that would be very appropriate, Mr. Mikaelson." I enunciate clearly, finally looking up at him.

He smirks, staring at me, taunting me with his deep blue eyes. My heart is racing and I'm praying to all the gods that he doesn't notice.

"Women like you are rare, Caroline." He replies, not taking his eyes off of me. "You keep me guessing. I like that." He concludes and returns to his desk.

In that instant my heart feels like it's erupted in my chest and I have just enough air left in me to keep me from falling over to the floor. So he thinks I'm _breathtakingly beautiful, according to the Rebekah anyway,_ and now he thinks I'm some sort of rare _thing?_ I watch him pace back to his desk, wondering what it is exactly that he wants from me.

"Mr. Mikaelson..." I say after a few minutes but he doesn't reply. I shake my head in disbelief, _he's really doing this. _"Mr. Mikaelson," I say again, this time a bit louder, just to prove my theory. He goes about his business like he hasn't heard a thing but I can see that stupid smirk on his face.

"Nik," I call out and it's like I've just said a magic word. His head snaps up and he looks directly at me, I can't help my smile at how childish he's being.

"Yes, Caroline?" His accent makes my name dance in his tongue.

"It's already 4 p.m. and you haven't asked me to stay any later. Am I free to go home now?" I ask.

He looks hurt, "_Free_ to go home? Frankly, I'm a little offended. You make this office sound like a prison. You're _free_ to do whatever you want, sweetheart. Allowed... well that's a completely different word." He smirks. "But yes, you can go home now."

_Sweetheart? _I don't understand what his game is and why he's being so _nice_. I realize it's going to take a lot for me to make it through this weekend.

* * *

**I realize that's not how syncing an iPhone to a computer works...but didn't want to go into details! haha**

**I will try my hardest to have the next chapter up by the end of the week. I've been very busy lately with RL but I'll see if I can squeeze it in on Friday! **

**Feel free to leave me a comment below! xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This chapter is different. We're switching perspectives here. I was a bit hesitant about doing this because I felt like it would shatter the mystery that's been surrounding Nik but I also think it's important to see what's going on in that little head of his. Just a warning though, some of you might not like this chapter but in my mind, Nik (and men in general) are no saints... That's all I will say for now. Enjoy! **

* * *

**Chapter 6: Wrap My Mind Around You**

* * *

**[Nik's POV]**

It's exactly 8 o'clock when she walks in. She's holding my cup of coffee in one hand and her briefcase in the other. She has her glasses on and my eyes are immediately drawn to her attire. It's the same one she wore to the interview. I grunt internally. _I thought I told Rebekah to take her shopping_. Her gaze catches mine and I smile at her warmly, she hesitates a bit before returning the gesture.

"Good morning, Caroline." I greet her, pronouncing her name in a slow gentle tone, causing her to look down at the floor for a second before replying.

"Good morning." She echoes without saying my name. She sets my coffee on the desk and immediately turns away.

She must hate me but I find it vastly endearing when she gets all flustered. I know that as her boss, I should be keeping my distance but I just can't seem to stay away. She's a radiant sun and I'm just a helpless planet trapped in her gravitational pull. I smile behind her back, taking in her movements as she walks away. I might as well throw my papers up in the air and not do a single thing today; there's no way I'll be able to concentrate with her wearing _that_.

"No jacket today?" I ask, looking at her sheer white blouse. She looks down at it and then back at me in confusion.

_Doesn't she notice how it clings to her?_

She shakes her head. "I forgot to take my suits to the dry cleaners. I know you don't like this particular attire but I didn't really have anything else to wear. I'm sorry."

"First of all, don't apologize. Second of all, what makes you think I don't like it?" I ask with a slight hint of perversion. There's always been a constant battle between my tongue and my head, and it looks like being around Caroline's been giving my tongue the advantage lately.

She looks up at me and raises one eyebrow. I smirk, waiting to see what will come out of that beautiful mouth of hers.

"Well, you did say you wanted your clients to take me seriously." She remarks. _Looks like Rebekah got the message across. What else did she tell her?_

I get up from my desk and walk over to her. She's busy typing on the computer but I can see her demeanor changes when I get closer. There's something truly fascinating about Caroline. I can't figure her out. One minute her guard is down and the next she's cold and uninterested. I just can't wrap my mind around her. What I wouldn't give to be able to hear her thoughts.

"You know you're a beautiful girl." I begin, and she immediately pauses what she's doing. "That's enough to distract anyone. Throw a short skirt and a form-fitting blouse into the mix..." I trail off. I'm not even sure where I'm going with this. I do know, however, that the pretty little blonde is listening intently to my words. "I want them to listen to what you're saying not thinking about what..." I stop. Caroline looks up at me and it's clear that she's grasped the idea.

"Oh, wow! You are relentless, aren't you?" She asks blatantly.

I'm surprised by her honesty but also a bit taken aback by how offended she seems to be. I tilt my head, narrowing my eyes.

"Tell me something, _Nik_. Do you do this with all your employees? Is this what happens to all the females that work for you?" She looks up at me with her crystalline blue eyes. _God, she's stunning._

"I don't understand what you're trying to say." I lean against the bookcase and cross my arms. She's got my complete and full attention.

"What do want from me?" She stands up, the look in her eyes is fearless.

This isn't the Caroline that looked away shyly when I called her by her name. This is the one that's not afraid to call it like she sees it. One thing I know for sure is that she wouldn't like it if I told her what I wanted. _Or would she?_ I run the risk of her stepping out of this office with the intention of never coming back. I look her up and down, licking my lips and taking a deep breath before telling her what she wants to hear.

"I want you to not only act like a professional but look like one too. You're representing my company. Is that so hard to understand?" My tone is a bit more harsh than I intend and I see her furrow her eyebrows.

"I understand perfectly." She replies. "It won't happen again." Her eyes are fixated on me for a few seconds and then she takes a seat again.

I can almost see the wall coming up in front of her. Something tells me I've lost her for today. Caroline loves shielding herself behind that invisible barrier that makes it even more difficult for me to figure her out. I feel the strong urge to apologize but I hold my tongue. I'm so frustrated with her, even though I know there's no reason for me to feel this way. It's not her fault; I was the one who initiated this fallout.

"Take the rest of the day off." I say, before I'm even done putting my thoughts together.

She looks at me with wide-eyes and her mouth drops open. "But I've only been here 20 minutes."

"You'll get paid the full day, if that's what you're worried about." She looks at me in disbelief and I can swear she wants to say something but holds back. "I have other things to take care of today." I conclude.

She huffs under her breath and I can tell she's annoyed. The phone rings, interrupting the tension between us. She looks down at it and then back at me, without picking it up. I can see the look of defiance in her eyes. I bet if I could read her thoughts they'd go something along the lines of, _you dismissed me early so pick up your own phone, asshole_. She grabs her things and heads towards the door, letting the phone ring a few more times before it finally stops. I'd be lying if I didn't admit I found her behavior a bit comical.

Her hand takes a hold of the doorknob and swings the door open, revealing a brown-eyed brunette standing on the other side.

"Tatia?" I blurt out.

Caroline turns back to look at me and she is far from amused. "Enjoy the rest of your day, Mr. Mikaelson." She says dryly, opting not to use my name.

I don't need to read her thoughts to know what she's thinking now, it's clearly visible on her face. I want to tell her it's not what it looks like. _Why do I feel like I have to explain myself to her? _A sarcastic smile appears on her lips and she rolls her eyes as she steps outside, leaving like I told her to.

"Is that your new assistant?" Tatia interrupts my thought process, "Please tell me you fired her, she doesn't even know how to pick up a phone, for God's sake!"

"What are you doing here, Tatia?" My tone is harsh and impatient.

"Niklaus! Is that any way to treat a girl you haven't seen in over a year?" She walks in and closes the door behind her, removing her jacket in a suggestive manner.

"I'm really not in the mood for visitors today." I reply, turning my back to her and looking out the window.

"You've been ignoring my calls." Her voice is soft, almost childlike. I've fallen for this trick before, but it's not going to work this time.

I place my hands in my pockets. "I'm serious, Tatia. Today is not a good day." I turn to her slightly as she approaches me cautiously.

"Fine." She says, pouting with her red lips. "But... I will be calling to reschedule. So don't even think of turning me down next time." Her eyes look menacing.

I nod, knowing that if I don't agree she'll be in my office the whole day.

She grabs her jacket, slipping it on carefully. "She's pretty..." She utters.

I know this tone of voice, it's the one she always uses when she's about to accuse me of something I haven't even done. I shake my head and press my lips into a straight line, _some things never change_.

"You're not sleeping with her are you?" She narrows her eyes, fixing her hair over her jacket.

"Tatia, with all due respect, what I do with my life is none of your business." I scowl.

"I'm just saying, a man like you can do so much better. Girls like her are a dime a dozen." I can see where this is going as she takes a few steps towards me.

"You don't know her and I won't tolerate you making assumptions about the people who work for me." I walk around her, leaving her facing empty air, and open the door.

She smiles coyly, acting like she's done nothing wrong. "I'll see you soon, Niklaus." Her lips barely graze the corner of my mouth as she attempts to ignite a fire that's long been extinguished. I stand as motionless and cold as a statue, breathing a sigh of relief when she finally leaves my sight.

* * *

My head is spinning and I'm not entirely sure if its due to the countless drinks I had this evening or the blonde that's decided to set up camp and make residence in my brain. I know that sending Caroline home was probably a mistake but at this point none of that matters. I bet she thinks I'm the biggest prick she's ever come across. The arrival of Tatia couldn't have come at a worser time. I place my hand over my face as if that's going to help with the spinning sensation taking over me.

I close my eyes for just a second, picturing her smile and the gentle flutter of her eyelashes every time she looks away. She's the biggest enigma I've ever encountered and it only feeds my interest further. I'm too wrapped up in her to let this go. I roll over on my bed, enveloping myself in the crisp, soft linens before closing my eyes again. It takes no time for me to succumb to the pretty little blonde who's slowly been consuming my every thought.

* * *

I wake up the next morning, aching with want and hard as a rock. A slow, faint grunt escapes my throat as I slide my hand over it. It's not surprising to wake up like this from time to time, especially since I haven't had any action in a while.

My eyes are wide open, in a hypnotic state. I'm having one of those moments when you can't recall a dream in its entirety. It comes to me only in broken segments and I try as best I can to remember the full details. It's a blur but I'm positive it was amazing.

I close my eyes, running my fingers over my hardness as I think back to it.

_She's standing in front of my desk, looking angelic and gorgeous but donning a devilish smirk. She looks just the way she did yesterday morning. Her pink lips are moving but I can't hear what she's saying. All I know is that she's riveting and I can't take my eyes off of her._

I open my eyes, frustrated now that I can't quite put the pieces together. The only thing that echoes in my head is a question.

_What do you want from me, Nik?_

Caroline knew, at least in my dream, what I wanted. I smile, my subconscious had a field day, expressing what my consciousness has been keeping to itself.

_There's another flash, she's lying on my desk, her skirt rides up her thighs as she traces her curves with her hands. There's fire in her eyes and yet I can't seem to get close enough to her._

I roll over on my stomach, and the pressure of the mattress against my manhood makes the ache even more delicious.

_I want to touch her, to feel her soft skin between my fingers and press my lips against hers, but I can't. She's unreachable, like she's behind an invisible wall that I just can't penetrate no matter how hard I try._

After those pieces I can't seem to put anything else together. There are just quick images that flash before my eyes, too fast to make sense of what is happening.

_Her legs. The mesmerizing stare of her big blue eyes. Her mouth moving without emitting any sound. Her fingers, carefully unbuttoning her blouse._

My cock is throbbing, just imagining what happened after that. There's absolutely no point in trying to remember anything else. That's it, that's all I can recall. All that's left for me to do is visualize my own sequence of events.

It would be so easy for me to just call any one of the girls I've met in the past and have them come over. They'd be more than willing to help me out with my little problem but for some reason I can't bring myself to do it. Something about it doesn't feel right, like I'm somehow wronging Caroline. It's incredibly stupid of me to feel this way about a woman I have no relationship with, except for a professional one, but I can't help it. _What would be the point of fucking anybody else, anyway, if I'll just be thinking of her the whole time._

I get up, walking directly to the bathroom with a pitched tent below my waist. It's not long before I'm standing underneath the warm water and surrounded by the steam emanating from the shower head. I can't stop myself, I begin constructing my own twisted and perverse dream and give myself some much needed relief.

* * *

"You're a sick bastard." I tell myself, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

I fix my tie and put on my jacket. As I slip my watch on my wrist, I check the time again. _8:00 a.m._ It's the first time in years that I'll be late for work but it was sure worth it.

_I bet she's already there, walking in with my coffee and wondering where the hell I am._

I smile, thinking of the clueless expression on her face. After yesterday's little mishap, however, she's probably still annoyed with me. If that wasn't difficult enough to deal with, now I have my conscious weighing down on me.

_How can I look her in the face without feeling guilty for the dirty things I've just made her do in my mind? _

I stare at my reflection once again and shake my head. The pretty little blonde has no idea what kind of reaction she rises in me. I grab my suitcase and my keys and head out the door. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't dreading my encounter with Caroline Forbes.

* * *

**What do you guys think? Is that something that guys just do or should Nik have refrained? That's what I was referring to when I said some of you might not like it. Leave me a comment and let me know how I did! Next update will be on Wednesday! PROMISE! :) xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's chapter 7 for you guys! We're back to Caroline's POV :) This picks up right after Klaus tells her to go home, which was Chapter 5. Hope I don't confuse anyone, it basically takes place at the same time as Chapter 6. Most of you liked the last chapter, so I'm glad my decision to give you guys Klaus' POV wasn't the worst! haha. For those of you who didn't enjoy it, I only plan on doing it a couple more times, at most. There are just certain things that have to be told from his perspective. You'll see... In the meantime enjoy this chapter! :)**

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**Chapter 7: The Next Day**

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"I have other things to take care of today." I say in an annoying and mocking tone. _Yeah I bet he's taking care of those 'things' right now._

I scream into my pillow, like a 10-year old when they don't get their way. _Why am I so infuriated by this?_ The pillow goes flying to the other side of the room, hitting the door with force as I let my body fall into the soft surface of the bed.

I can't seem to escape from that one little line, _I have other things to take care of today_, it's been bothering me ever since I left the office. He acts like a jackass by sending me home for no apparent reason and this is somehow my fault. I halt my thought process, analyzing everything that went on this morning. _What is his deal? I guess I did pretty much accuse him of being a creep._

My hands grab a hold of the other pillow still sitting on my bed and I bring it close to my chest, staring out the window into the Hollywood hills as I calm myself down. I haven't even changed out of my clothes yet and Rebekah is still asleep so I can't just burst into her room and start venting. _Venting_. There's only so much I can vent to her, anyway. He is, after all, her brother.

The idea of them together is bothering me more than it should. He's a grown man, he can do whatever he wants. _Why do I care so much about who he screws?_ Yes, I find him attractive even though he has weird mood swings sometimes, but my behavior is absurd. I wish I was on my period right now, at least I could blame it on that. I take a deep breath and close my eyes, trying to forget about everything.

* * *

I wake up two hours later and roll out of bed with the enthusiasm of a sloth. I change out of my clothes, _"What makes you think I don't like it?" _I sneer and roll my eyes. After slipping into something more comfortable and fixing my hair, I head downstairs.

The house seems quiet at first, until I hear Rebekah speaking with someone on the phone.

"Ok, we'll meet you there tonight." She says before hanging up.

I run down the stairs and meet her in the living room. She puts her hand on her chest and looks at me surprised. "You scared me! What happened? Why aren't you at work?" She asks.

The smile on my face is sardonic, "Your brother let me go home early."

Her forehead crinkles and her mouth twists as she gives me a muddled look. "It's 11 a.m., is he not busy today or something?"

"Actually, he sent me home after about 20 minutes of me being there." I can feel my temperature rising as I think back to the real reason he sent me home. "His ex-girlfriend came to visit. So on the contrary, I think he let me go because he was going to be a little _too_ busy."

Rebekah laughs almost mockingly at my explanation. "I doubt it. I bet Tatia just showed up unexpected. There's no way Nik would have dedicated a whole work day to her. She'd be lucky if he agreed to just an hour."

_Yeah, an hour would be more than enough, I bet._ I roll my eyes at my own thought. "I don't know. Sometimes he has weird mood swings."

"Yeah, I have to give you that." She stands up from the couch, pulling down on her shorts and fixing her shirt. "I did warn you about you possibly hating me for getting you this job."

I chuckle, "I thought you were kidding."

"Well, I was exaggerating. I know my brother's a bit peculiar, especially when it comes to getting work done and doing things perfectly. I would've thought your problems would be related to him being too picky or demanding." She tilts her head, twirling her pin straight hair.

"He is demanding and he does like having things in order but lately he's just been acting a bit weird." I reply.

She narrows her eyes, intrigued by my words. "How so?"

"Honestly, I think he loves ridiculing me and treating me like I'm an idiot or something." I blurt out. "I think he's used to women falling head over heels for him and can't stand the idea of anyone resisting his advances." I bite down on my lip. _I've said too much._

Rebekah smiles coyly, "You're telling me, my brother's actually been coming on to you?" Her smile soon disappears. "I'll talk to him."

"No!" I practically yell. "No, that's not what I meant. It's not like that, I'm being overdramatic."

"Caroline, if my brother is crossing the line, someone needs to set him straight. You shouldn't have to put up with this just because he's your boss. You're my friend and if he's being an asshole, I feel like it's my responsibility to do something." She's assertive with her words.

I feel like I've just made a bigger deal out of this than was necessary. Nik hasn't done anything wrong, aside from the occasional flirtatious remarks. I realize that's not even the problem. I'm not angry with him because he pays attention to me, I'm angry because I'm afraid he only wants me for one thing and I wish that weren't the case. I feel my stomach roil as I admit this to myself. Whether I like it or not, I've slowly been falling for him and the idea of him not taking me seriously is eating me up.

"He hasn't done anything wrong. If you confront him, I'm going to be so embarrassed I'll be force to quit." I mutter.

She looks down at the floor. "Ok. I won't say anything. But you have to promise me you'll keep me informed if anything else happens."

I look her straight in the eye, "I promise." There's a long pause as she assimilates my words.

"Great! Now, how about you go get ready and we go shopping?" Her smile is infectious. "Vegas is in 2 days and you can't possibly go without buying a couple new outfits, you'll need them for the night clubs."

"What? I'm not planning on partying when I'm there."

Her eyes widen as she takes on a reprimanding tone, "Who goes to Vegas and not parties? Especially when her best friend will be there to make sure that doesn't happen..."

A grin appears on my face, "You're coming with us this weekend?" I'm so relieved and happy and my mood is immediately lifted to a whole new level.

She puts a finger over her lips, "Shhhh... You can't tell Nik. He'll find a way to keep me put otherwise."

I nod, "I won't tell a soul."

* * *

"Kol wants to go to this new lounge that just opened. I told him we'd meet him there tonight." Rebekah announces as we browse the racks of clothing at one of the many high end stores in the mall.

"It's just Kol?" I ask acting as if I don't care but she catches on.

"Kol and some friends. Don't worry, Nik won't be there." She smiles, picking out a dress and placing it in front of her as I give her the thumbs up.

"Ok. After these past few days, I could use a drink or two." I reply.

"Or three or four..." She winks. "You might even meet some interesting people. Kol can be a pain in the ass sometimes but he keeps good company."

_Good company. _I smile to myself, I could use some distraction too. "I'm guessing you mean 'good-looking friends', have you ever dated any of them?"

"Oh God, no." She laughs, "They're great and all but can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if I got involved with one of them?"

"Yeah. I guess I wouldn't want to put my siblings in a situation like that." Then it hits me, if I ever got involved with Nik, Rebekah would be the one in the middle.

"It's not so much that. I mean, I wouldn't care if you dated Kol or Elijah. Obviously Nik sounds like he's out of the question." She smiles and I nod faking one back, "They're just not my type. I'm more into the typical American boy. You know, sun-kissed skin, easy on the eyes... a gentleman with a heart of gold." She laughs.

I raise my eyebrows, smiling and nodding but all that's on my mind is the fact that she would be ok with me getting involved with any of her brothers. The fact that she thinks I'm completely uninterested in Nik gives me a sense of relief. _Perhaps I haven't been as obvious as I thought._

* * *

"One more shot!" Kol announces to a roaring response from his friends and very low grunt from me. I feel like I've already reached my limit. A couple more drinks and I won't be able to stand straight.

We have a reserved section at the lounge, on the second floor, looking over the rest of the people who have come out tonight looking for a good time. Rebekah's talking with the bartender across the room and seems to be enjoying it. I smile, noticing he fits the description of the type she's into; blonde hair, blue eyes, cute smile, and well-built. She points over to our section and he checks his watch, nodding and smiling as she walks back.

The waitress comes back with a platter full of shot glasses and a bottle of tequila. _Great._ Kol looks over at me, grinning as he starts topping them off with liquor. "What's the matter?" He asks, handing me my shot and placing his arm over my shoulders.

I shake my head, _wow I can really feel it now_, "Nothing, just not a big fan of shots." I reply.

He winks, "You'll like this one!" I smile, _highly unlikely_.

"And if I don't..." I reply, narrowing my eyes at him in a chastising manner.

He shakes his head, clenching his jaw before speaking. "You are so damn cute, you know that? It's too bad Nik has forbidden to make a move on you." He smirks.

I open my mouth, highly surprised by his words. "What?"

"And now, I'll probably get my ass kicked for saying it." He replies, yelling over the music.

"Don't take it the wrong way, you're great and everything and I'm not saying I want you to make a move on me," I laugh, "But why did your brother do that?" I ask, cupping my hands against his ear to block out the noise.

Even with my head clouded by the alcohol, I can clearly think when it comes to Nik. I don't know if I should feel flattered by what he did or enraged by taking such liberty. What right does he have to forbid anyone to approach me in that way. _So I'm not allowed to have a boyfriend now?_

"Something about work and ethics, something, something, bullshit. I don't even remember." He's not making any sense. "You're off limits to me, but you know who you're not off limits to? My friend over there-" he points to a cute guy with dark brown eyes and black hair.

I look at Kol with a smile on my face as I shake my head at him. "You're trying to hook me up with your friend?"

"Sure! Why not?" He replies, "Nothing makes me happier than making my brother angry." He jokes. _I think he's joking._ "He's having a get-together at his place afterwards and told me to invite you."

I raise my eyebrows, shifting my gaze between him and his friend. "What's Rebekah's plan?"

"Why does it matter? He's not interested in Rebekah." He replies with a slight bite of his lip.

"I'm gonna have to pass. I have work tomorrow morning." I say, noticing his friend walking over to us.

Kol smiles, raising his eyebrows rapidly, as he walks away and continues to distribute drinks amongst the group. Rebekah's too busy trying to deflect attention from herself to notice I'm in a bit of a pickle.

"Hi, I'm Mike."

I wipe my hand on my dress before shaking his. "Caroline." I reply with a smile. He's a good-looking guy but reminds me way too much of Tyler. I think it might be his mouth and the way he talks with a smile plastered on his face.

"You're very beautiful, Caroline. I had no idea angels could fly so low."

_Ok, straight to the point. _I'm having a hard time not bursting into laughter. _I need some chips to go with this cheese._

I smile, "Thank you."

"To another night we won't remember!" Kol yells, interrupting our exchange. _Thank God._ He raises his shot glass in the air. "Bottoms up!"

Everyone takes their shot with ease and I struggle trying to figure out if I'm gonna try to drink it all at once or do it in two part. _Fuck it. _I swallow the whole thing, finding it difficult to keep it down. The taste is awful and the after effect is even worse. I can feel it burning my throat as it goes down; my stomach immediately begins to feel like an oven.

"I'm having a get-together after this. You should come." Mike says, looking at me like I'm wrapped in bacon. _Why do men always act like they've never seen a woman in their life? _I gaze around the room, noticing I'm beginning to develop double vision.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I can't make it. Work." I explain, taking a seat next to Rebekah on the booth.

"This is my friend Caroline." She introduces me to the bartender she was just talking to a few minutes ago, her voice sounding a bit inebriated. "She is the best! I love her!"

"Is she really the best?" Mike asks, smirking at me. I stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"Hey, where's Kol?" Rebekah chimes in, completely ignoring his question.

We look around but can't seem to spot him anywhere. "Maybe he went to the bathroom." I suggest.

"He actually just left with a cute brunette he was talking to." One of his friends cuts in.

"What!" Rebekah doesn't look happy, she stands up and leans over the railing, trying to find her brother in the crowd.

"Do you girls need a ride home?" Mike asks. I'd like to think he's just being nice but something tells me he just wants to get in our good graces, mine especially.

"No. We're fine." I reply, taking Rebekah by the arm. "Let's go see if we can find him." I turn back to Mike as I'm walking her away. "Thanks for the offer!"

We both have a hard time walking down the spiral staircase. _Who's bright idea was it to have stairs in places where people get drunk, anyway?_ When we reach the main floor, it's difficult to weave through the crowd. There are drunk people everywhere, dancing, laughing, couples making out, I roll my eyes. After only a few minutes, we give up the search.

"Stupid Kol! Where is he?" Rebekah sounds just as intoxicated as I'm feeling.

"Let's call a cab, I'm ready to go home." I pull out my cell phone, squinting to focus on the screen. Everything around me is spinning.

"I'll call Nik." She says, as she struggles to punch in the numbers.

"No!" I shout, snapping her phone from her hands.

"But what if he's already out and-" She loses her train of though, placing her hand over her forehead. "Wait, why don't you want my brother picking us up. I thought you guys were okay." She slurs.

I'm speechless, my tongue wants to say so many things, explain so much in a short period of time but luckily my brain is still functioning in a way that I can keep myself from saying too much.

"I have to be at work early tomorrow...today. Do you want me to get fired?"

"Nik can't fire you for doing something on your own time." She counters, taking her phone away from me.

_No but I'd die of embarrassment if he saw me like this. _"No, but what if he's already asleep? Won't he be mad if you wake him up?"

"Yeah. You're right. He'll get all pissy and start acting like he's my father or something." She makes a disgusted face. "Let's call a cab. I'm gonna kill Kol when I see him."

* * *

My room is spinning all around me. I breathe in deeply, trying to calm my upset stomach. Going out tonight was a bad idea. I laugh at myself. The plan was to forget about what happened with Nik, at least for tonight, and yet I'm lying here, thinking of nothing else.

_I wonder what happened after I left the office? _I look over at the alarm clock next to my bed, it's past 3 a.m. and I have to be at work in less than 5 hours. Rebekah was practically asleep by the time we got home; I had to wake her up in order to walk her inside. My eyes close for a minute, trying to rest, but it only worsens the constant spinning and feeling of sickness. After a few minutes, I can no longer stand it, I leap from my bed and head straight to the restroom.

I must have gotten maybe 3 hours of sleep before the alarm clock went off. I lie there motionless, afraid to move. After a few minutes I give it a try, only to confirm what I'd been fearing. My eyes feel like they're responding slower than I want them too, and the ground seems to be moving below my feet. On top of that, I have a massive headache. I want to call and tell Nik I can't make it today but I know that my excuse won't be convincing enough.

After much debating, I shower, using the coldest water setting. It helps but by no means does it make my hangover magically disappear.

* * *

The coffee order this morning is a bit different, I need the strongest thing they offer to help me stay more alert throughout the day, hoping Nik doesn't notice my state.

I swing the door open, fretting my encounter with him but to my surprised the office is empty. I look around, there aren't any open file folders on his desk and his briefcase isn't in its usual spot. _He must be running late_.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I place his coffee cup on his desk and make my way to mine. I sit in front of the computer, resting my head over my folded arms. It would be amazing if he decided not to come in today; I could just go home and sleep. I begin working on a few unfinished projects; my pace is sluggish and my energy is virtually non-existent. The coffee is too hot to drink right away, so I let it sit for a few minutes, taking only tiny sips every once in a while.

The clock moves, slower than usual, reaching the 30 minute mark. I furrow my eyebrows, beginning to worry. _What if something happened to him? _My concentration goes out the window, imagining a catastrophic scenario. I debate whether to call him or not, it's only been 30 minutes but he did say punctuality was very important to him. What could have possibly happened that made him run this late? The second I ask myself that question, the door handle moves and he walks in through the door. His expression is stern as he makes his way to the desk. He's wearing my favorite dark grey suit today, and removes his jacket almost immediately before sitting down.

"Is everything okay?" I ask, trying to sound as composed as possible. _I didn't slur, did I?_

"Everything's fine." He replies, not once looking over at me.

_Great, he's in one of his moods._

I continue typing, organizing the latest clients and prepping everything for the trip tomorrow. But the fact that he hasn't said a word besides answering my question, is really bothering me. My mind is wandering while my hands continue working, I feel like I'm on autopilot. I peer over at him from behind my computer; he's looking through his files, marking each paper with who knows what. I'm starting to feel horrible, the shower this morning helped, but now I just want to lie down somewhere and pass out. My head is pounding and my heart rate seems to be going at an abnormally fast pace. _Stupid caffeine_.

My gaze inevitably returns to Nik. He's acting a lot stranger than usual, it's almost like he doesn't even want to look at me. I suppose he's still angry about yesterday, even though he didn't seem angry at the time. No, there's something else going on. His hand stops moving and his eyes catch me off guard. He looks at me for maybe a second before looking away. I crinkle my forehead, put off my his reaction. My stomach is churning, I recognize the feeling right away. I feel my mouth fill up with moisture, watering uncontrollably, and I know that if I don't run to the bathroom now, I'll be in deep shit. There is no time for words, I make an abrupt dash for the door and run down the hallway.

* * *

I open the door slowly and walk back inside without saying a word or looking towards his desk, but there's no use in trying to pretend nothing happened. He's seated in my chair with his eyebrows raised, obviously waiting for an explanation. I look in every direction possible, _why can't this day just be over already?_

"What?" I ask boldly, as the door shuts behind me.

There's an disgruntled look on his face, "_What?_ You just ran out of the office without saying a word. I think you know _what_." He looks down at his hands, as he interlocks his fingers over my desk.

"I'm not feeling very well." My tone is hesitant and mousey.

"You ordered yourself coffee this morning..." He points out, noticing the cup sitting in front of him.

"I did."

"You never drink coffee." He looks back up at me.

"I felt like having coffee this morning, is that so wrong?" My voice trembles a bit, knowing that he's got all this figured out.

"How late were you up last night?" He asks, making the clenching of his jaw more than obvious.

He can't possibly expect me to give him a detailed account of what I do when I'm not on the job. "Rebekah and I went out with Kol. I might have been out a lot later than I had planned."

"Kol?" He asks with curiosity.

_Oh, that's right._ "Yes, Kol."

"I hope my brother behaved himself." His tone is dubious.

"He always does." I assure him.

"Who else was there?" He asks, and I can't help it, my mouth drops open. _He can't be serious_.

I chuckle at how ridiculous his questions are becoming. "Some friends and about a hundred other people."

Nik gets up from the chair, walking around my desk in a slow but steady pace, until he's standing directly in front of me. "So you went out with my sister and brother, met up with _some_ friends, and decided that getting completely wasted was a good idea? Did you even wake up in your own bed this morning?"

The last thing I ever imagined was him questioning me about waking up in my own bed. Does he really think all girls just go out to have one-night stands or something?I'm in disbelief and feel completely insulted. The expression on my face must be reflecting exactly what I'm feeling because I can see he immediately regrets what's come out of his mouth.

"You're being extremely rude and unprofessional. I'm your assistant not your girlfriend, so stop acting like a jealous asshole!" _I said it, I said the word and I don't regret a thing._ At this point, the hangover is irrelevant, I'm overwhelmed by anger.

"I'm not acting like a jealous boyfriend, I'm acting like a boss who doesn't want his employee to embarrass him in front of his clients." He takes a couple steps towards me and I back away, bumping into the door behind me.

"If I'm such an embarrassment, then why don't you just get rid of me already?" My voice is low and soft.

"Caro-" He doesn't have time to finish before I interrupt him.

"No!" I raise up one finger, "You listen to me... Just because I work for you doesn't mean you own me. You have absolutely no right to interrogate me. That's not how this works. Sometimes I feel like you enjoy treating me like I'm somehow inferior to you." I swallow hard but retain my gaze on his without fear.

"Is that really what you think? Is that how I make you feel?" He closes in on my face making me feel a lot more than just that. With the door right behind me, I have no more room to back away. "That was never my intention, Caroline."

My body is steady, caught in a whirlwind of inexplicable heat. "Then why are you doing this?" I mutter.

"You're so..." He hesitates, "There's something so pure and innocent about you." He touches my arm for just an instant before sliding his hand off. "I just want to keep you safe." His eyes are enthralling, and there's a way he says those words that causes them to be disarming.

"So... you view me as a child." _Well that stings more than I thought it would._

"No." He smiles, "You're getting all wrong."

"Then tell me Nik, because I don't understand what you're getting at." My voice comes out in a whisper, having his face so close to mine is weakening my defenses.

"If you don't understand, maybe you're just not ready to hear it." He replies and the caress of his breath on my lips makes me shiver. He turns away, leaving me motionless and in deep thought.

He doesn't say anything for a few minutes; his eyes are fixated on the world outside the window. I'm left with more questions than ever before and for a split second I comfort myself with the idea of him actually caring about me. My head is still pounding and all this thinking and speculating is only making it worse. I look at him, he seems so focused and lost in his own little world. The light coming from outside casts beautiful shadows over his face and I can't help taking it all in. He's too handsome, too rich, and too powerful to be mine. It's no wonder he feels entitled to things he has no control over; he could easily have anything and anyone he wanted. _Anyone except me_.

I walk back to my desk and sit in silence as I watch him. There are so many things that would go wrong if I gave in to what I'm feeling. Yes, I would be happy for however long it lasted but the only loser in this situation would be me. _Why am I even wasting my time on a lost cause?_

"You haven't forgotten about our trip tomorrow, have you?" Nik asks, breaking the silence that had been devouring us both.

"No." I reply.

"I think it would be a good idea for you to go home. You could use the rest." He turns around to face me.

I'm done arguing for the day and nod with pursed lips as I raise myself up from behind the desk. "Ok. If I'm not needed, I will go home."

"If you could please give me a call early tomorrow, maybe an hour before the driver and I are supposed to pick you up?" He begins, "I might be out late tonight. I wouldn't want to miss the flight." He simpers.

_Don't you own an alarm clock?_ I raise one eyebrow, "Morning call it is." I grab my stuff and make my way to the door, pacing slowly, debating on whether or not to probe further. "Have fun tonight." I say with a forced smile.

"Oh, I'm planning on it." He replies, giving me a contemptuous smirk. I roll my eyes without even thinking, causing him to chuckle under his breath.

* * *

I'm fuming, tired of his endless mind games. All that bullshit talk about how much he wants to keep me safe and then he makes it perfectly clear what his intentions are for tonight. He's the most arrogant jerk I've ever met. His stupid smile and stupid stares can go to hell. _I hate him_. I free fall into the sofa, burying my face on the back cushion, and poking fun at myself internally. _Stop lying to yourself Caroline_. I know the truth. I know why I'm so angry at him. Nik has gotten under my skin and everything I've done to try to stop it has been absolutely useless. I want him like I've never wanted anyone before and all I want is for him to want me the same way.

* * *

**Thanks to all of you who take the time to review! It means so much to me :) I'm a little behind on my chapters, so the next one won't go up until Monday! D:**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Updating a bit earlier than planned. I'm glad you guys are liking the story so far. I guarantee you, it only gets better! Enjoy :)**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Sin City **

* * *

Sleeping almost 12 hours sure did the trick. My eyes open to a darker than usual room, realizing I didn't turn on my alarm the night before. I sit on the edge of the bed, yawning and stretching my arms into the ceiling. I only have essentials left to pack, having done most of the packing the day before. The flight is at 9 a.m. but Nik made it very clear he likes arriving at the airport early so they'll be picking me up at 7:30 a.m. which gives me 45 minutes to get ready. _Shit! _

I frantically grab the phone. It rings over and over and sends me to voicemail. _Why the hell does he want a morning call if he's not going to wake up? _Again, I dial, letting it ring and go to voicemail for the second time. My hand runs through my hair as I make a third attempt, hoping this time he'll actually pick up. He must have been out pretty late last night to still be sleeping. I shut my eyes, that's the last thing I want to think about right now.

"I said one hour before, not 45 minutes." He says on the other end and I can sense him snickering. "Looks like my internal clock beat yours."

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot to set my alarm last night." I clench my teeth.

"What am I going to do with you, Caroline?" He says in a passive tone.

"Well, sounds like I'm not as reliable as your internal clock, even after a night of partying, so..." My voice dies out as I wait anxiously for him to say something.

"You know, I'd love to continue chatting with you but as of right now, you only have about 43 minutes to get ready."

I smile into the receiver. "That's plenty of time for me," I boast.

"Then I will see you shortly, love." I don't have a chance to reply before I hear him hang up. I place my phone on the night stand, aware of the feeling that single word produces in me.

I take the quickest shower ever and dress in something semi-formal. I'm not wearing my usual suit but I still opted for a skirt and a dressy blouse. I figured the weather in Las Vegas this time of year will probably be a little cooler than it is here but hopefully not too cold for me to regret my wardrobe choice. It's already November and the thought of not seeing my mother for Thanksgiving suddenly takes a hold of me. I talk to her often but not spending that day with her is really starting to weigh down on me.

I finish applying my makeup with only a couple minutes to spare and grab my suitcase as I prop my purse on top of it.

The house is dead silent. Rebekah has no reason to be up until later, I write her a little note and stick it on her door. I'm not even half way down the stairs when my phone rings.

"I'm coming out right now." I reply, knowing that Nik is on the other end.

"Thank you for not keeping me waiting." He says before hanging up.

He seems to be in a good mood, based on our earlier conversation. However, proceeding with caution is always the best approach when it comes to Nik Mikaelson.

* * *

We sit in first class; he's gracious enough to let me choose my seat and I obviously go for the one next to the window.

"So, did you have a good time last night?" I ask, as soon as we're comfortably seated.

The little lines on his forehead become apparent as he furrows his eyebrows, giving me a look of bewilderment. "I'm sorry, did I miss something?"

I can't figure out if he's messing with me or not. "You said you were planning on being out late." I clarify.

A smile splits across his face. "I changed my mind," he answers.

I raise my eyebrows, "Oh." His eyes become fixed on me, as if trying to decipher my response. "So, what's the plan for today?" I add quickly, feeling my heart starting to beat erratically.

He pulls out his phone, showing me the schedule for the day and guiding me through each step of the meeting. "It will go by fairly quickly. Most of the arrangements have already been made, Patrick just wants to meet in person and fill out the necessary paperwork." He explains. "To be completely honest, you don't really need to be present but I wanted to bring you along anyway."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise, "And why is that?"

"I figured it's a good way for you to get a feel of these kind of things." He replies, tilting his head to one side in a more than adorable fashion. "I also want you to have a good time."

"What? I thought business trips were all boring and endlessly horrible. I could have sworn there was a no-fun clause somewhere in the personal assistant contract." I joke.

He laughs, "No, but it's nice to know what you think about working for me."

"That's not what I meant." I reply with a straight face.

There's a stillness between us as the plane starts moving, speeding down the runway as it prepares to take off. Once we're in the air, I breathe a sigh of relief.

"Can I ask you something?" I begin, looking over at him as he turns his head towards me. He doesn't say anything, only nods. "Why do you put up with what I say? I mean, anybody else would've fired me after yesterday."

He narrows his eyes and licks his lips. I can tell he's trying to come up with an elaborate explanation. "I like you."

My breathing suddenly stops and my heart feels like it's making it's way up my throat. "What?" I mutter.

"You might be naive when it comes to some things," he says and my mind runs rampant, _some things? what things?,_ "But you don't let people walk all over you. I like that you're strong enough to stand your ground." He stares at me with that smoldering look that makes me feel like I'm being depleted of air.

I have absolutely no idea what to say or do except smile. He does the same and then looks away, allowing me to once again breath normally. I'm afraid to ask anything else, instead, I recline my seat and turn to face out the window. There is nothing but whiteness staring back at me and endless puffs of clouds swirling in the atmosphere.

* * *

"Caroline," his voice sounds like a low gentle hum against my ear.

I open my eyes, realizing I had somehow managed to fall asleep during the short flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

"We're descending now, you have to put your seat back up." He says with a smile.

With my seat propped up again, I hold on to the armrest and breath steadily. Nik notices my uncertainty and turns his body towards me.

"It's actually not so bad if you don't think about it." His hand taps mine a couple times as if trying to calm me down. The touch of his skin fuels me with jolts of electricity, which in turn has the opposite effect on me.

I must admit I like this side of him but at the same time it frightens me. I don't need any more reasons to like him. On the contrary, if he were an asshole all the time, it would almost guarantee me hating him... eventually. _Maybe_. I'm too wrapped up in him to even notice how close we're getting to the ground. It's not until we hit the pavement that my reasoning makes a reappearance.

We're the first ones off the plane, and I get a sense of the temperature as soon as we're walking through the corridor into the gate. _Perhaps wearing a skirt wasn't such a good idea_. The maddening sound of the slot machines is everywhere as soon as we step into the terminal. People pull down on handles and push the buttons as if in a trance, eager to spend the last of their cash while waiting for their flight.

Nik heads directly to the car rental spot as I wait with our luggage in a nearby row of empty seats. The last time I was in Vegas, I was too young to even care about it. I look around at all the advertisements on the walls. Shows aimed at men featuring well-endowed women wearing almost nothing seem to be very popular. I smile as I catch a glimpse of one of the few female-oriented show. _Thunder From Down Under.. Hmm sounds like a recipe for fun drunken debauchery._

"We're all set." Nik appears in front of me, covering the hunks on the poster, but I'm not complaining.

I glance at my watch. "The meeting isn't until 5 p.m. What do we do until then?" I'm genuinely curious as to what he has in mind.

"First we'll check in at the hotel. And since you haven't been here in a while..." he pauses, giving me that look that I'm so fond of, "Maybe I can take you somewhere new? Hungry?"

I am hungry, but unfortunately this kind can't be satisfied with food. "I'm a little hungry," I say with a smile as I walk beside him towards the exit.

* * *

He hands me my room key. "Your room is connected to mine, I hope you don't have a problem with that." I take the card in my hand, perusing it front and back and shake my head.

"We're both professionals. Why would I have a problem with it?" I reply.

"I'm just making sure." He says smiling.

We walk to the elevators, bumping into a small group of girls who look like they're just getting back from the pool. They're laughing and chatting, drinking frozen concoctions out of yard-long tumblers. Nik waits patiently by the elevator, completely oblivious to the looks some of the girls are giving him. The wait seems to take forever until finally one of the elevators lights up. We walk over, hauling each our suitcase and make our way inside. The group of girls follow and I take the right corner of the elevator as I watch them all walk inside. One of them turns to him, beaming in a coquettish way. I try not to make it obvious but watch for his reaction. He purses his lips together, relinquishing a very faint smile and nods once, acknowledging her.

"Here for business or pleasure?" She asks and I roll my eyes at how obvious she's being.

"Business." He replies.

"That's too bad." She says as her friends giggle and whisper amongst themselves. They must be in their 20's but they're acting like a bunch of high-schoolers.

The elevator stops and the doors slide open. "Well, if you change your mind, we're in room 25-302. Later!"

Nik smiles, "Have a good one."

There's an awkward silence after the doors close again and we're left all alone. I look around, reading the ads being displayed on the plasma screen. We reach the 57th floor in a matter of seconds. I immediately notice this floor is different from the rest, the carpet is a dark gold color as opposed to crimson and each room has double doors. We make our way down the long, quiet hall and I hear Nik chuckle under his breath.

"What is it?" I ask, as we reach our rooms.

"I can't recall the last time I was in Vegas for just pleasure." He replies, looking at me with fiery eyes.

I swallow, looking away from him instinctively. "Well, you did say we can do whatever we want after business is done. Right?"

I bite down on my tongue, _what am I doing? _I might as well tell him he can go bang that group of girls if he really wants to. My insides cringe at the thought but then I freeze, realizing another meaning that could be taken from that statement.

"Oh my God! No." I utter, "That's not what I meant... I didn't mean you and I..." I say, looking away nervously.

He laughs, "You and I what?" His tone is sultry.

"I meant, _you_ can do whatever you want. That's all." I reply, sliding my card key to unlock my room.

His arm stops the door from closing on me again, "Is 15 minutes enough time for you to get settled?"

My head moves up and down, "Yes."

"Then I'll see you in fifteen."

We share a few glances and another awkward moment of silence before I slip into my room and shut the door behind me.

My mouth drops open when I see it. There's a small hall, leading towards a large area with sofas and a television. The Las Vegas strip is laid out in front of me, and I walk closer to the enormous glass windows, taking in the panoramic view. It's amazing, I can see almost every single hotel, even though the dancing waters in front of the Bellagio and the Eiffel Tower at the Paris take prominence. I can only imagine how beautiful it must look at night time.

I walk around, amazed at the space. There's a large dining table and a small kitchen in the corner and across from the glass windows, there's a smaller entertainment room with big flat screens and reclinable sofas. My room is located beside it, and as soon as I open the door I notice another door at the far end. I walk towards it, this place seems endless and full of surprises. There's a large tub with jets, and a separate shower next to it, two sinks, and another bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, smiling and shaking my head in disbelief. This is almost bigger than my house back in Virginia.

* * *

Nik and I take a quick cab ride to one of the hotels down the street. We indulge in sushi at one of the lavish restaurants, the ambience is elegant but relaxed. I remained dressed in my skirt but changed my blouse. He sits across from me, picking up pieces of his Philadelphia roll with his chopsticks as I sip on my iced-tea.

"Sake?" He asks, sliding a shot of a clear liquid towards me.

"Don't we have a business meeting to attend to?" My eyebrows raise.

He shrugs, "Try it, I promise you'll be fine afterwards."

I take the glass in my hand and bring my nose close to it, trying to smell it. Taking a deep breath and narrowing my eyes at him, I swallow the liquid. "It's intense." I say, still savoring the taste in my mouth.

He laughs, "It's not for everyone."

We look at each other in silence and it's moments like these that make me feel self-conscious in a way. _What is he thinking? _I smile causing him to do the same as I hand him the shot glass back.

"I remember you said that you like musical theatre." He begins and my eyes light up.

"A while back, yes." The fact that he remembers something I only mentioned once, makes me feel warm inside. _Or maybe it's just the Sake? _

"Then I think you're going to like the show we're going to in..." He looks down at his watch, "...about 45 minutes. We'll be out just in time to meet with Patrick."

I'm excited but confused. This is supposed to be a business trip, yet he's decided to take me to a show? The little devil on my shoulder starts whispering things in my ear.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask.

He looks bemused, "Our meeting isn't until later this evening. I don't want you to be bored." His answer comes out almost rehearsed, like he was expecting me to ask the question. "Caroline," he says softly, "there's no hidden agenda. I promise."

My breathing starts to speed up again. Every time we seem to be on the same page, I tend to lose my composure. It's almost like he knows exactly what I'm thinking; like we're saying things without speaking.

"Ok." I concede.

The waitress comes over and places the check in front of him. I start searching my purse for my credit card.

"Don't even think about it," he says, quickly examining the bill.

"I don't remember you saying anything about food and drinks being included in this trip." I argue.

"Well, they are." He pulls out cash from his wallet and lays it flat in the center of the table. I'm surprised he didn't use a credit card and then he does the mind reading thing again.

"Better to use cash when you're here. You keep better track of your spending. Shall we?" He stands up, coming over to my side and pulling the seat out for me before slipping into his jacket.

We walk through the casino floor, my eyes wandering, taking notice of the people gambling and yelling in excitement when they win. I check my watch, Rebekah said she'd get here around 6:30 p.m. and a grin spreads over my face.

"Excited?" Nik asks, noticing my expression.

"You still haven't told me what we're watching." I reply, trying to restrain my elation.

He runs his hand over his forehead, "I'm sorry. You like the Beatles?"

I beam, "Love them!"

"Cirque du Soleil. Beatles Love." He replies with a smile and the teenager inside of me starts jumping up and down with joy.

* * *

"That was the most amazing, artistic, powerful, just... breathtaking thing I've ever seen!" I exclaim as we walk out of the theatre.

"I'm glad you liked it." He says, putting an arm around me to guide me through the crowd. I tense up when I feel his hand on my back.

"Liked it? Are you kidding me? I love it! The costumes, the music, the acrobatics! It was a feast for all the senses." I glance down at his arm and he immediately notices, removing it from my back.

Nik checks his watch again, "We have 20 minutes to get across the street and down to the Paris."

We start walking at a faster pace and I'm like a child without a filter. I can't seem to keep my mouth shut, raving endlessly about the show. I have to force myself to stop otherwise I'm sure he'll do it for me.

The air outside is cold and I shiver as soon as I feel it hit my exposed skin. Everything is lit up as the sun begins to descend behind the buildings. It's gorgeous, a real life adult playground. As we wait to cross the street, a man hands me a card. I take it, thanking him with a smile. When I look down at it, I feel silly.

"Oh." I say, noticing it's for call-girl services.

Nik can't help laughing and I look at him with dagger eyes. "You're not really supposed to take those."

"Thanks for the heads up." I say sarcastically as we cross the street, disposing of the card in the next waste basket I see.

"Dang girl!" The voice of a guy around my age catches my ear as I pass him in the street. I instantly feel like I'm a piece of meat at the supermarket.

Nik puts his arm around me again and this time instead of tensing up, I feel a sense of protection. I look up at him, his expression is stern. "Most guys are harmless but you can't be too careful." He mutters.

I instinctively gravitate closer to him and he leaves his arm on me even after we get to the other side. I take the sights and sounds of Vegas as we make our way to the Paris. There are street performers and drunk people all around. _They're the Vegas staple, I guess. _After seeing all the newspaper stands and the ads plastered on the side of buses, I can see why they call this Sin City. When we reach the Paris, I look up, taking in the view of the lit Eiffel Tower. The doors slide open for us and we step inside, into the warmth of the heated casino floor. The restaurant where we're meeting Patrick is on the part of the tower overlooking the Strip.

We take the elevator up and get seated immediately. When we arrive at the table, he's already waiting for us. After a brief introduction, we sit with him and dive right into business. It's not until then that I realize the real reason for the meeting.

"I'm so glad you were able to make it. It's going to make planning so much easier this way." Patrick begins. "As I told you over the phone, the museum is very interested in your pieces, however, there is one that they thought you would be providing that isn't included in the samples you sent me."

This has absolutely nothing to do with the hotel chain or the automobile company. Now I understand why Nik said I didn't even have to come. I'm completely absorbed in the discussion and for some reason the thought of seeing one of Nik's exhibits fills me with unbelievable excitement. _Wait? Am I supposed to be taking notes right now?_ I look around, realizing I don't have anything to write on.

"What piece were you interested in?" Nik asks.

"As you know the exhibit has various categories and you've got all of them checked off, except for Sensual Realism."

I gulp. _I chose the wrong time to drink from my water_.

Nik smiles, noticing I'm blushing behind my glass. "I have a few ideas in mind for that but don't have a finished product yet." He looks at me with soft eyes and my stomach starts turning into knots.

"Well, as long as you have that ready by next month. I don't see it being a problem. Now, I think we can start by mapping out exactly how this is going to work. I brought all the paperwork with me for you to look over." Patrick continues and I'm completely out of the loop now, all I'm thinking about is the kind of ideas Nik might have in mind.

I watch them as they talk about the exhibit set-up; I see their mouths moving but my mind is too busy to listen. After a while, Patrick hands him the contract and I watch Nik as he reads the papers intently. The clinking of silverware and the various conversations going on in the restaurant start to blend together, becoming increasingly louder as the silence in our table grows. I look at Patrick and smile, feeling out of place.

"Enjoying your time in Vegas?" He asks me.

"So far, it's been amazing." I reply, "The last time I was here, I wasn't old enough to do anything fun."

He chuckles, "I'm sure you'll take advantage of that this time." There's a pause before he continues, "I'm guessing you're familiar with Nik's work?"

I blush, "I'm not actually." I look away sheepishly as Nik continues to read, he seems engrossed by what's on those papers.

"Oh! It's fantastic! He doesn't like to brag but once you see it, you'll agree."

"Everything looks good!" Nik interrupts, taking the pen in his hand and singing the papers quickly.

"I was just telling Caroline what a great artist you are." Patrick announces, to which Nik responds with a smile and a hint of red on his cheeks.

"He's bias." He replies, looking at me.

I shake my head, "I'm sure there's some truth to it."

After a few moments, Patrick inspects the papers and decides everything is up to par. He lifts his hand up in front of him, causing his sleeve to slide enough to reveal his watch. "Well, I have to meet up with my wife in about 30 minutes so if you'll excuse me."

We all get up from the table, him and Nik shake hands and they both thank each other for various reasons. I smile, shaking Patrick's hand and bidding farewell. We sit back at the table and before I can say anything, we're both distracted by the water show display happening across the street; it's a magnificent sight.

"Why didn't you tell me this had to do with an art exhibit?" I ask after a couple minutes, without taking my eyes off the water.

"I didn't think it'd be something that would interest you." He says and that causes me to turn my gaze to him.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing it." I admit, "I've heard it's quite good." I tease.

He laughs, "Yeah, well, I have to finish one more painting before that." My eyes dart away from him again as my stomach starts tumbling around. "There is one thing I'd been wanting to ask of you."

The water show ends and I start shaking my leg nervously. "What?"

Nik looks away with a smirk on his face. "Please don't take offense to it, take it more as a compliment," he replies.

I raise my eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. The anticipation is killing me, yet somewhere deep down, I already know what he's going to ask of me.

"The painting I have to do-" But he doesn't finish because a very excited blonde cuts him off.

"Ah! Can't believe I actually found you guys!" Rebekah's voice breaks the tension and for the first time I'm feeling a bit annoyed that she burst in the middle of our conversation. Speaking of annoyed, the look on Nik's face is beyond that.

I stand up, giving her a hug and forgiving her immediately for interrupting. "I'm so glad you made it." I mutter quietly.

"What are you doing here?" Nik asks, raising his voice and himself from his seat.

"What? Am I not allowed to come to Vegas when you're in town?" She asks innocently.

I try to change the subject. "How did you know where we were?"

"I knew you were meeting Patrick so all I had to do was ask his secretary where reservations had been made. Is that too stalkerish?" She clenches her teeth together, feeling a big ashamed of her actions.

"Not at all." I reply mockingly.

"Rebekah!" Nik's voice booms over us and it's obvious he's not happy about this.

She turns her head, glaring at him. "What, Nik?"

"We're on a business trip. Caroline doesn't need any distractions." He shares looks between me and her.

"Wait. But I thought the meeting was over. Which means..." She pauses, and I can tell she's enjoying pushing his buttons, "The business part of the trip is over! Right?" She looks at me, faking curiosity and confusion.

"That doesn't make it okay for you to just invite yourself." He replies.

"Come on, Nik!" She pouts, taking a completely different approach. "Caroline's not bound to you 24/7. Let me show her Vegas the right way, please!" She grins.

Nik looks unconvinced, "The right way? Do I even want to know what you mean by that?"

She wrinkles her nose, "It's probably not what you're thinking. We'll just go to a club, dance, have some drinks... you know, stuff you wouldn't want to do!"

"You did say I could do whatever I wanted with my time." I chime in and he doesn't even try to hide the scolding look on his face.

"I'm trusting you with her Rebekah." He looks at his sister as he delivers his warning.

"I promise I'll take good care of her." She says, raising up her hand.

Nik looks at her and his demeanor softens. If there's anyone in this world that can convince him of anything, it's definitely his sister.

* * *

It's been a while since I wore a dress this short and this tight but I can't deny it makes me feel great. It's low enough to show off a little cleavage but not too much to where I'd worry about any accidental flashing. Rebekah's dressed in a hot pink mini skirt and a black sleeveless top. We can practically feel the envious eyes of the other girls on us as we walk to the front of the line.

The club is crowded, but she has no problem getting us in. The management seems to be perfectly aware of who she is and they escort us both to a table; bottle service included. The waitresses are very nice and attentive, offering us drinks left and right even though we have plenty with what's already on the table. I notice Rebekah urgently replying to a text.

"Who is it?" I ask, leaning my head on her shoulder as I glance at the screen. We've already had a couple drinks and I'm starting to feel a lot more relaxed.

"A few people I know around here." She grins.

I narrow my eyes, "Trouble?" I ask, sipping from my freshly poured drink.

"Fun!" She says enthusiastically as she grabs a couple shot glasses from the table. "Shot?" I nod.

A few minutes later a group of about five guys and three girls surround our area. I look at them, two becoming very recognizable. My eyes linger on them, trying to figure out where I've seen them before.

"Hey guys!" Rebekah greets them, telling one of the club's security guards that they are her guests. He lifts up the rope and let's them inside the area.

She introduces me to every single person and I repeat the names in my head over and over, hoping I won't forget or mixed them up.

"Josh and Jake are professional dancers." She winks.

"Oh." I say, "Oh!" I repeat, realizing where I've seen them before. The airport... the guys on the poster. _Well they look different with their clothes on._

"Caroline is my roommate, it's her first time in Vegas since she's been legal." She announces and I can almost see the guys' eyes light up at the prospect of opening my eyes to new experiences.

The music is phenomenal and we dance and sing along to the songs we know. I'm having such a great time that I almost forget I'm here on business. _Almost._ Drinks are being brought to us consecutively. It doesn't take long for me to start feeling a bit dizzy. The lights are hypnotizing and the sudden blasts of cool air feel like heaven on our warm faces. I decide to take a break from drinking, remembering last time I felt like shit the next morning. One of the guys comes over and starts dancing next to me. He asks me a series of questions that I can't quite hear over the loud music but I nod and smile either way. After a few minutes one of the girls comes over and puts her arm around me, like we've been friends for a long time.

"Have you ever done body shots?" She asks.

I shake my head. "Never."

"Oh my God! You guys, let's do body shots!" She goes over to Rebekah who is talking to another one of the girls and taps her on the shoulder.

She looks over at me, "You want to do body shots?" Her tone is incredulous.

I widen my eyes. "I never said I did."

"Whoooo! Body shots! I volunteer Josh!" The girl screams and then everybody starts crowding around.

He lays on the sofa and lifts up his shirt. _Oh no..._

The girl pours a bit of alcohol on him and starts sucking it off his body right away. I look in amusement and a bit of disgust as she hands me the bottle. The guy is in great shape and has what could only be considered a 12-pack, but licking a stranger's body is just not for me.

"Your turn!" She says. I look at Rebekah and then at everyone else around me, _yeah I'm definitely drunk,_ they're all cheering me on and Josh winks at me.

"Unless you want me to do one off you." He says.

"Calm down Josh, she's like my sister." Rebekah intervenes.

"Why don't we let her make her own decision?" He replies, getting up from the sofa. "What do you say, babe? I'll just pour a little bit of this, wherever you'd like and slurp it up." The way he says it makes my stomach turn and not in a good way.

His friend takes Rebekah by the hand, asking her to dance and I can see this is a clear distraction. I may be drunk but that doesn't mean I'm stupid.

"I'll pass, thank you." I respond.

"Are you sure? He asks, looking me up and down and placing one hand on my waist. I pull back instinctively but his strength is too much for me.

"Yes. I'm sure." I counter, pulling my face away from his impending kiss.

"Are you deaf, mate?" I hear a deep grave voice behind me and Josh loosens his grip.

I turn slowly, casting my eyes of Nik who's standing only a few inches away. He looks good. _He looks really fucking good._ I'm still feeling pretty dizzy from the alcohol but not enough to trip over my own feet.

"Nik!" Rebekah exclaims and I notice the interest that sparks in the other girls in the group.

"I'm taking Caroline back to the hotel." He announces, taking a hold of my arm.

"We weren't doing anything wrong." She explains.

"_You_ weren't..." He says, giving Josh a menacing look.

"Well, I don't want to stay behind if Caroline's leaving." Rebekah says and I can almost hear the disappointment all around. "I'm staying in this hotel, so I'll leave with you guys right now. My feet are killing me anyway."

I'm surprised at how easily she agrees to leave. But then I realize the people who are there now aren't really her friends; they're just company. I smile at her, taking a hold of her hand as Nik walks us out.

* * *

He leads me down the hallway, my head is still spinning and my vision isn't very clear. I should have known the effects of the alcohol would be latent. However, I'm still confident that I won't feel it in the morning.

We stop in front of my door. "You're not mad at me are you?" I blurt out, struggling to keep my balance. _Ok, so maybe I don't have complete control._

He smiles, "No. But if I could go back and break that guy's face, I would." He admits.

"I could've broken it myself. You just happened to jump in before it happened." I laugh.

"Perhaps, but I still wanted to be the one to protect you." He mutters. "Do you know how crazy it drove me to see his hands on you?"

My eyes shoot up at him. "Why?"

"Because I can't stand the idea of another man touching you." His jaw tightens and he leans in closer, looking directly into my eyes. "I don't want anybody else kissing you," He looks down at my lips, "Having you so close..."

My heart is raging like a wildfire and I gulp, taking in his words.

"It's silly isn't it?" He asks, "To feel this way about someone who doesn't belong to you?"

I can't speak. I'm enthralled by his words, his scent, the way his eyes are staring at me, darkened with passion. His mouth is calling out to me, the sweet smell of his breath is like a magnet, drawing me closer. A last ounce of doubt hangs in the air for just a second before I let go of it, ultimately giving in to his pull. I wrap my arms around his neck, bringing my lips to his and I finally relish in his taste. The feeling is better than anything I've imagined. After a few exchanges, I pull away from him slowly.

"I'm scared..." I whisper into his neck and I can feel him shiver as my lips graze his skin.

"Of what, love?" He asks, and my heart starts racing when I acknowledge his word of endearment.

"Of getting hurt," I say quietly.

He lifts my chin up, "I would never hurt you, sweetheart." I look into his eyes, convinced that what he's saying is true.

His face leans in closer, taking my lips in his once again. This kiss is different; it's more tender and caring than the first and the more he kisses me the more I feel like I'll never attain satisfaction. He pulls away, takes my card key from my hand and quickly opens the door. He walks me into the bedroom, leading me to the bed and bringing me to rest on my back. I kick off my shoes, resting my face on the pillow.

"Don't leave." I plead quietly, curling my legs closer to my body.

He smiles, "Promise me you won't attack me in the morning, when you come to all your senses."

I laugh, "I promise."

He takes off his shoes, followed by his jacket and shirt. My eyes are glued to him as he pulls the covers off the bed, allowing me to slip underneath before he slides in next to me. I kiss him again, this time feeling my body respond in a more intense way. His body closes in on mine and it's obvious the reaction is happening to both of us. I inhale, running my hand over his bare chest, until I reach the band of his pants. My hand barely grazes his hardness and the heat between my legs reaches an insane level.

Nik takes a deep breath, "Tomorrow love... tomorrow will be a different day."

"It's already tomorrow." I reply in a murmur.

He kisses my forehead, "Let's wait until the sun rises, then."

I smile and close my eyes, allowing my unconsciousness to take over.

* * *

**Thoughts? Reviews make me happy! :) xoxo **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Once again, I'd like to thank all of you for your wonderful reviews! Thanks to those of you who have recently discovered this fic and told me how much you like it & to those of you who have stuck with it since I first uploaded it :) Now, without further ado, here's the next chapter. Hope you guys like it, if not... I might be in trouble...**

* * *

**Chapter 9: What Happens in Vegas...**

* * *

It's morning, I steadily open my eyes to a very dimly lit room. The side of my cheek is resting his hard, chiseled chest and I can feel it moving up and down with every breath he takes. I fill my lungs with air, widen my eyes and snap my head up hastily, noticing he's lying on my bed, half naked and dead asleep. I look down at what I'm wearing, still in my dress but in full disarray. I pull up the low neckline, covering my bra as I slowly crawl out of the bed. _We didn't do anything. Right?_

I remember being drunk, being a little more drunk than I planned. And as I stare at him, I remember something else. I bring my hand up to my mouth, lightly touching my lips with my fingers. _We kissed. _Nik starts moving, turning onto his side as he extends his arm, patting the area of the bed where I was just in. There's an uneven rhythm to my breathing as I realize he's waking up and all I can do is stand there, frozen with fear of what he might say. He squints, looking at my upright figure, still draped in last night's clothing. _My hair must look like a bird's nest_.

"Good morning." He says, propping himself up to a seated position. His hair is a mess and his lower body remains covered by the sheets. He's dripping sex appeal, and even though I know he's wearing pants, I choose to picture him without them. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Should I be preparing myself for the attack?" His question is painted in humor.

He swings his legs over the side of the bed and I take this opportunity to run my hands through my hair, in an attempt to fix it. "Please tell me I have nothing to be ashamed of." The words come out of my mouth in one breath.

"I assure you, love, you did absolutely nothing wrong last night." Nik replies, pacing over to pick up his shirt from the floor. His dress pants are hanging low around his hips, allowing a peek of his boxer briefs. My eyes can't help taking in the sight of his lean, muscular torso and the happy trail running down from his belly button, but he puts on his shirt so fast that I'm unable to continue my leering. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks.

I'm still standing in the same spot as before, it's like my feet are planted on cement. "We were drunk. It happened." I say without thinking. My eyes wander around the room and I bite down on my lip, waiting for him to say something.

Nik smiles, "That's not how I remember it." He says, tightening his belt around his waist.

I roll my eyes. He's not going to let this go. I think I remember everything that happened last night but how can he expect me to take his words seriously when he told me all that while I was intoxicated.

"You're right. I was the one that was drunk, not you." This time I walk over to the bed, sitting down at the edge as my feet dangle against the side of the mattress.

Nik comes over, standing in front of me, close enough for me to touch him but far enough for me to evade him if I want to.

"I meant everything I said and it seemed like having a few drinks in you, finally gave you the courage to act upon your feelings." He looks down at me with that curious gaze and smiles.

"This can't possibly end well. You're lifetimes ahead of me." I mutter, before adding, "Figuratively speaking."

"Well _figuratively speaking_, you're leap years ahead of any other woman I've ever met." He replies coyly.

My eyes trail over him until they reach his, "You know, speaking of women... How's Tatia doing?" And my eyebrows perk up.

He chuckles as if I just said a funny joke, "I wouldn't know." His reply is short and simple.

I look at him dubiously, "Well you did spend time with her recently..."

His dimples make an appearance as he smirks, "I spoke to her only a few minutes that day. She was doing okay, I guess." His eyebrows furrow as he squats down and takes my hands in his, "Why are you so interested in Tatia? You're not jealous are you?"

"Please." I slip my hands from underneath his and stand up, seemingly offended by his assumption. _I was wrong when I said I had enough room to evade him_. As much as I try to pass by him without touching him, my hip bumps his shoulder, causing him to lose his balance. He falls back onto the carpet and neither of us is able to keep a straight face.

It takes me a few minutes to stop laughing and even when I do, I just break into another fit of giggles. When everything finally quiets down, Nik stands up and takes on a serious tone again.

"What makes you think this isn't going to end well?" He asks, genuinely intrigued by my statement.

"Look at you. Look at me. You can have anyone you want. And quite frankly, I think that's what you do." I admit.

He looks insulted, no, he looks _hurt_. "You think I want you to be just some kind of notch on my bedpost?"

He's standing right in front of me now, and as much as I want to get away, I can't seem to escape his pull. "I don't know what to think." My mouth is dry and my heart is beating so fast that I can feel it pulsating against my ears.

"If that was the case, don't you think I would've taken advantage of your willingness last night?" He blurts out and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Oh that's right. Because that's what women do. They tear off their clothes as soon as they get you alone." I grimace.

He clenches his jaw, "You're twisting my words around." I notice his demeanor soften in a matter of seconds. "Give me a chance to prove myself to you, Caroline."

"Did I ever tell you that I caught my ex-fiancé in bed with another woman?" I mutter. He looks at me with sad eyes as he realizes what I'm so afraid of.

"You think I'm a scumbag just like your ex." Nik states.

I smirk, "You do have quite the reputation."

"I'm aware of the things people say about me and I can assure you that 90% of them aren't true." He replies, coming even closer.

"I'm afraid of the 10% that is." My voice comes out in a whisper.

Nik brings his hand up to my cheek, his warmth is comforting and enthralling. "I promise you have nothing to worry about. Why can't you understand you're the only woman I want."

My heart is pounding fast and hard. "I want to." I say, before allowing him to press his mouth against mine. His hands slide over my shoulders and down my arms, wrapping around me.

The movement of his lips and the touch of his hands around my waist is robbing me of air. I feel his tongue, wild and wet as it entangles itself around mine, and the heat between my legs comes back with a vengeance. I twist his hair around my fingers, gently running my nails against the back of his neck. Nik's breathing becomes heavy and desperate, and his hardness presses against me, to which my body responds immediately. I want him, but I know that giving in this soon would throw all my previous arguments out the window.

I bite down lightly on his lower lip, gently pulling on it before diving my tongue back in his mouth. His hands run up and down my sides, stopping just below the curves of my lower back. His mouth leaves a trail of kisses along my jaw and the side of my neck before returning to my lips. I breathe in pauses, enjoying the sensation and doing everything in my power to stop my hands from getting him out of his clothes.

We finally break away, my lips feel like they're pulsating from all the kissing. Nik places his forehead against mine, a smile splitting across his face.

"Caroline Forbes," he says and I smile, "Take a chance, love."

I nod, relinquishing an "okay." And our lips crash into each other one more time before we both realize we have to catch a flight.

* * *

When we arrive at the airport, Rebekah is already waiting for us. "Where were you? I was calling you two all morning." Nik and I look at each other without saying a word and he smiles at me, causing me to return the gesture. Rebekah's not an idiot, she knows something happened. "Oh my God..." There's pause as she continues to study our gestures.

"Our phones must have been off." I offer an explanation.

"Oh my God! You guys totally did it!" She exclaims, ignoring what I've just said.

I look around to see if the family sitting across from us heard her, "Keep it down." I say, "And no, we didn't _do it_." I can hear Nik chuckle at my response.

She looks at him for confirmation, he shakes his head, "She's saying the truth."

"Then why are you guys acting so weird?" Her eyebrows furrow.

"Wait, why are you even flying out this early? I thought you were spending the whole weekend here. Didn't you want to _do Vegas the right way_?" Nik tries to change the subject but it only works for a second.

"I don't want to be here by myself. Anyway, what's going on with you two?" She probes further, causing her brother to grunt under his breath.

"I promise to tell you everything when we get home, if you promise to stop asking." I reply with a smile.

"Fine." She sounds unconvinced but has no other choice but to agree.

We wait less than an hour before we start boarding. Rebekah manages to get a seat in First Class even though she purchased her ticket last minute. Luckily, she's two rows in front of us, so she can't see when Nik holds on to my hand. And as long as we're really quiet, she can't really hear what we're saying.

The feelings he evokes in me are indescribable, the only thing I can say is that it makes me feel like I'm floating carelessly in a sea of comforting warmth. I smile at him, interlocking my fingers with his, as the plane starts speeding down the runway.

I close my eyes and exhale as I feel it leave the ground. I hear him laugh quietly as I inadvertently squeeze his hand. "You okay?" He asks.

My eyes pop open, "I am now." I reply with a grin.

We are silent for a moment and then he begins, "Do you remember how I was going to ask you something yesterday, during dinner?"

I nod, "Right before Rebekah got there."

"Yes." He looks displeased, "Well, now that I think about it, I think you would've probably slapped me and left me alone at the restaurant." A soft laugh escapes his throat.

I look at him with curiosity, "What did you want to ask me?"

"I need one more painting for my collection." He replies.

My stomach feels like it's on fire and my chest flutters rampantly. I open my mouth just enough to let out a barely audible sound but don't really say anything. Instead, I just laugh.

"Is this a good thing or not?" He smiles, amused by my reaction.

"I knew it." I say, and then I whisper as low as possible, "You just want to see me naked."

The gulp he takes is obvious, "You can't blame me." I gently shove his shoulder with my arm causing him to suppress a laugh. "But really, I can't think of anyone more beautiful to paint than you." I'm speechless, flattered by his remark.

"Drinks?" The flight attendant interrupts our moment. I ask for water and Nik asks for coffee.

After she moves on to the next row, he goes back to our conversation. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to. But I'm sure there isn't a model out there that will compare to you." He smiles.

I pretend to think about it a few seconds, even though I've already made my decision. "You're right. I probably would have slapped you." He laughs. "I'll do it, just don't make me do anything too outrageous." I reply.

"It will be tasteful, I promise." He smiles, before sneaking in a quick kiss.

* * *

"Tell me everything now!" Rebekah is ready, I'm surprised she didn't make herself a bowl of popcorn for the occasion. Then again, it's probably because she didn't have enough time.

I look at her incredulous, we haven't even put our suitcases in our room. "Shouldn't we unpack first?"

"You're dragging this out on purpose!" She frowns.

I tilt my head and pout, mocking her. "Fine, let me just take my suitcase up to my room."

When I come back downstairs, she's sitting on the sofa, shoes off and a bowl of ice cream between her hands. I can't help but laugh.

"What? I'm hungry!" She replies, sticking out her tongue.

I take a seat next to her, kicking off my shoes and curling my legs on the sofa. "How should we do this? Do you want to ask questions or do you just want me to tell you?"

"Hmmmm..." She replies, seriously weighing her options. "How about you just tell me everything that happened after I went back to my hotel room."

"Ok." I nod.

Rebekah listened intently to my every word, widening her eyes and laughing whenever I told her something funny. She especially loved the part of me freaking out the next morning when I woke up next to him in my bed. I told her everything, skipping the parts that weren't appropriate. _I can't imagine anyone wanting to hear that their brother got an erection and that your hand might have touched it_. I couldn't explain things to her without admitting that I've had feelings for him and I hadn't been entirely honest or open to her about it. She completely understood, but then laughed when she remembered thinking it was more possible for me to date Elijah or Kol over Nik. I ended by telling her that I agreed to him painting me and I'm sure I turned bright red when I mentioned I'd probably be naked.

"So you two are definitely a couple now." I can tell from her tone that she's genuinely happy for us.

"Yes." I smile wide, "But now I feel like I need to find another job." Her facial expression grows serious. "I said find another job, not flee the country. By the look on your face, you'd think I just told you something much worse."

She looks at me, her expression unchanged. "No, that's not why I'm concerned."

"What is it?" I ask, starting to worry myself.

"I am so happy for you two. I love Nik more than anything, and you are the closest thing I've ever had to a sister. I just want the best for you guys." Her words are full of emotion.

"Thank you. And you can't even imagine how relieved I am that you approve of this. It means a lot to me." I say with a smile.

"Unfortunately, I don't think everyone will be too happy." She replies.

I think for a minute, "Oh. Are you referring to Tatia?"

Her forehead crinkles, "No, I was actually referring to my mother but now that you mention Tatia... That would be the worst combination ever."

"I still haven't met your mom." I mutter.

"Caroline, I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you. I honestly believe that my mother would not approve of you." She looks at me sheepishly.

"Is it because I'm not rich?" The words come out and I fight the urge to burst into tears. _Does this sort of thing still happen in this day and age?_

"I told you she's very peculiar when it comes to stuff like this. Now it's my turn to admit that I haven't been entirely honest with you." She says, "I've tried to get her to meet you but she doesn't see the point in it."

"Your mom sounds like a horrible person." I blurt out and then I cover my mouth, afraid I've just hurt Rebekah's feelings.

"I can't say that she isn't." Her eyes glisten over, filling up with tears before they start rolling down her cheeks.

"Well, look at the bright side. You and Nik aren't like that." I smile, even though at this point my eyes have begun to water as well. "And as far as I can tell, neither are Elijah and Kol."

"It's just too bad, you know? Why can't she just be happy when we're happy? Why does everything have to be of her liking? I've had to hide most of my boyfriends from her because of it. And I'm too much of a coward to just leave and start my life away from her." I start to feel really sad for Rebekah, it's no wonder she doesn't have any close friends.

"Don't call yourself that." I say, scooting over on the sofa to give her a hug.

"Then what do you call someone who's afraid to leave the comfort of a privileged life even if that means she can't be entirely happy?" She asks.

"You love your family Rebekah, and as much as you don't understand your mother and her skewed values, you love her too. I would call that a good daughter." I reply.

"You're too nice for your own good, Caroline. But I hope you never lose that." She says with a smile, wiping off her tears. "I fully support you and Nik and whatever you two decide to do. But just keep that in mind and tread the waters carefully."

I hug her again and for the first time since I've been here I get overcome by incapacitating fear. I'm not afraid of how Esther will treat me or that she won't like me. I'm afraid that Nik won't be strong enough to stand up for me when the time comes and that eventually, that'll drive us apart.

* * *

**Let me know if you liked it, hated it, etc. Constructive criticism is always welcomed. I'll give you guys the next chapter on Monday! I know... sorry I take so long to update :-\**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This chapter is the reason for the 'M' rating. It was so much fun to write! But doing it in first person was a little weird, I had to stop and take a breather every once in a while LOL. Enjoy ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 10: Dabbling in Art**

* * *

It's early Monday morning, and I walk into the office, coffee in hand. The smile on my face is impossible to hide and my stomach's going crazy with anticipation for what's to come. I purposely wear the outfit that I know he likes but leave the glasses at home. When I walk inside, I find him standing next to the bookcase, holding a book in his hand. He looks up at me and tilts his head, sweeping his eyes over me without remorse.

I smile wide, "Good morning." My salutation is flirty as I place his coffee on the desk.

He slams the book close and places it back on the shelf. "Miss Forbes, how much longer are you planning on tempting me with that attire?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Mikaelson, but I thought you said you liked it." I walk over to my desk, bending down just enough to set the briefcase on the floor.

He doesn't hesitate to come up behind me and put his arms around my waist, locking me against his chest as he discretely breathes in my scent. "You smell delightful." He whispers in my ear.

"You don't smell so bad yourself." I reply, looking back at him.

He clenches his teeth, "You're making this situation very difficult for me, love." I smile, knowing exactly what he means by that.

I turn around, still pressed up against him. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Nik huffs, knowing the flirting is over. After a brief moment of straightening out his thoughts, he begins, "There is one client I would really like to get a hold of. Hirsh, if we can get him to sell his property at a good price, it would be the deal of a lifetime." He grins, "He doesn't seem to have enough to maintain it, and the location is booming with tourism." Even though he's speaking business, it's obvious he still has other things on his mind.

"Okay. I'll get on that right away." I reply, "As a matter of fact, I promise you I will have an appointment set by the end of the day."

He looks at me impressed, "Really? Alright. What happens if you don't?" He adds with a tone of playfulness.

"You're doubting me?" I counter.

"Of course not. But let's say, hypothetically, the appointment doesn't come through." He smiles.

"Hmmm... why don't I surprise you?" I say coyly.

He's speechless and I turn around, taking a seat on my desk. I look up at him, still silent, "Is something wrong?" I ask.

"Not a single thing." Nik replies, walking back to his side of the room.

I feel bad for bringing his hopes up. The truth is, I already know who this client is because I've been emailing his assistant back and forth all week. I was close to setting up an appointment for this past Friday but with the trip to Vegas, the schedules just didn't work out. I keep a smile on my face as I type another email to Hirsh's assistant, looking over at Nik every once in a while to see what he's working on. She gets back to me almost immediately, letting me know it's okay for me to call.

I pick up the phone and dial the number, "Hi, this is Caroline Forbes calling in behalf of Mr. Mikaelson." I'm not even finished explaining myself when the girl on the other end starts talking.

She's very friendly and eager to help. I nod, "Uh huh," my hand moves quickly, jotting down the information she's providing me.

I look up at Nik for an instant, noticing how focused he is on what I'm doing. I bet he wishes he knew what the conversation entailed. "Thank you so much for everything. You have no idea how much you've helped me out!" I exclaim. "We will see you in a couple weeks then, I'll call to confirm."

When I hang up Nik is staring at me in disbelief and I grin, proud of myself. "Told ya!"

He gets up from his desk and I do the same, this time walking over to him before he has a chance to move.

"You'd already been working on it." He says, catching on to my game.

"I know how much this deal means to you. So yes, I've been trying to set up an appointment for a few days now." I smile.

He walks around his desk and stands in close proximity to me. "You tricked me."

"I couldn't help it! You were just so eager to see me fail."

"I was really looking forward to that surprise." He admits, half-joking and half-serious.

My eyes brush over his facial features before settling on his lips. I don't have to say anything for him to know what I want. He takes a hold of my face with his hands and presses his lips over mine. I breathe into his mouth, allowing myself to get carried away by his actions. His kisses are feverish and I clamp on to his neck as he grabs a hold of my waist, lifting me up and setting me on the edge of the desk. His arm reaches out behind me, clearing the space of any object that would cause me discomfort, before letting me rest gently on my back.

"Nik..." I whisper, feeling his hands run up and down my body, producing sensations that only further encourage my want.

He continues nipping at my neck, and trailing down to my chest. His fingers fiddle with the buttons on my blouse and before I know it, I'm lying on the desk with my chest and stomach exposed. His lips run over my bust and all along the seam of my bra. I wrap my legs around him, feeling the hard bulge between his legs make contact with me. It feels divine and I don't want this to ever end, but my wishes are unfulfilled as the telephone next to my head begins to ring. Nik comes to a halt, and rests his forehead on my chest. I can hear that he's out of breath and the disappointment on his face is evident.

"Perhaps it's time to separate business and pleasure, love." He puffs.

He straightens himself up and takes a hold of my hands, lifting me to a seated position. I begin buttoning up my shirt once again, not before noticing the visible sign of his excitement. "That's probably a good idea. I love working for you but you do need to get things done around here, sometime." I wink. The phone continues to ring and both our hands go to pick it up. I giggle, "I got it."

I answer in a very controlled tone of voice, as if nothing had ever happened. His devilish smirk makes a reappearance and I narrow my eyes at him as I continue with the call.

"Who was it?" He asks, after I hang up.

"Hirsh's assistant. She just wanted to make a minor change to the appointment time." I smile, heading to my desk to update the information.

He leans back against his desk, sitting on the edge like I had been just a few minutes ago. There's a smile on his face but his eyes look desolate. "I'm gonna miss not having you around every day." He says.

"You'll have me around, in a different kind of way." I reply with a smirk.

"I take it you'll continue working for me until I find a new assistant." He raises his eyebrows questioningly.

I nod. "Hey, I have an idea. How about I select the assistant for you?"

Nik grins, rolling his eyes, "If that'll make you happy, sweetheart."

"Definitely no redheads," I tease. "As a matter of fact, I think an older gentleman would be much more efficient."

"You are beyond endearing when you get jealous, you know that?" He presses his lips in a straight line. "I promise, I make my selections based on qualifications, not physical appearance."

I give him a dubious look, "Really..."

"Okay, you were the exception. _But_ it's only because Rebekah asked me for a favor. The fact that you turned out to be so attractive was just a beautiful coincidence. I think the universe was trying to thank me for doing a good deed." He says eloquently.

I blush and before I have a chance to reply he shifts gears, "Speaking of your beauty, what do you say we take care of that art piece tonight?"

For an instant my body fills up with nervous jitters, knowing that I'll be in his home and wearing close to nothing. I gulp, "Tonight?"

"Unless you have other plans." He sounds a little disappointed.

"No. Tonight's.. fine." I say, my mind racing at the thought.

* * *

We leave the office a few minutes early and he drives us to an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood. The hostess leads us to a booth, making small chat with Nik. She's very gracious and attentive with both of us, which is a breath of fresh air considering most just want to cater to him. The area where she sits us has a very romantic feel, the lighting is warm and it contrasts beautifully with the reds of the table decorations.

"I'm guessing you'll want a bottle of Chianti?" The girl asks him.

He nods, "Yes, that would be great." She smiles and excuses herself.

I eye him suspiciously, "Come here often?"

"I haven't in a while but it's definitely one of my family's favorite restaurants." He replies, looking at me with soft eyes.

"It's lovely," I reply, noticing the black and white photos of Italy that are hanging on the walls.

The waitress comes by our table, holding the bottle of wine that was offered to us by the hostess. She pours each of us a glass and then sets it down on the table as she introduces herself and informs us of the day's specials. After she's done, she leaves us alone to continue perusing the menu.

"You have no idea how much I love Italian food." I say, peering over the top of the menu.

Nik sets his down on the table, "And now I'll never forget." He replies in a flirtatious tone.

"So, you expect me to eat all this delicious food and then," I look around and lower my voice, "strip down for you?"

He laughs, "Love, I'm sure the food will have absolutely no impact on the way you'll look."

"Maybe so, but I'll still feel a little guilty." I pout.

I settle on the lobster ravioli just in time for the waitress to come by and take our order.

I take a sip of my wine, which is surprisingly of my liking; I'm not normally a fan of reds but this one has a great taste. I drink my whole glass in between laughs as I listen to Nik share stories about his siblings. It's so nice to see him talk about them with such delight and reverence.

"Speaking of, Kol told me that you warned him to stay away from me." I say, judging him with my gaze as he refills my glass.

He exhales deeply, "My brother's fun and great to hang out with but I knew he'd be going after you for one thing, and one thing only."

My eyes widen, "And you thought I'd be okay with that..." I state.

"I didn't want to take any chances of you falling for him instead of me." He smirks and my heart somehow manages to beat sporadically.

I beam, drinking from my glass again and feeling like I'm starting to float on clouds. _I should probably slow down._

"So are you really serious about pursuing a career in musical theatre?" He asks.

"I would love nothing more." I reply with a grin.

He nods, staring at me in deep thought. "Good because I might have booked you an audition for next month."

My mouth drops open, "What?" I have no other words. All I want to do is lunge myself at him and hug him, kiss him all over, and shower him with an endless amount of 'thanks you's.

"Networking is great. You never know what kind of connections you have unless you ask." He replies with a smile, "How do you feel about Grease?"

At this point, I'm in shock. "Grease?" Is all I'm able to mutter.

"The production company usually only auditions people they've already worked with before, but like I said, I had a contact. They agreed to see you. I'm sorry it's not a guarantee..."

"No, it's better than it's not a guarantee. I want to feel like I earned it." I cut in, "You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much!" I start to get emotional, and I begin to take deep breaths. The last thing I want to do is start crying at the dinner table.

"I really hope you get it. I'm dying to see you perform." Nik says full of content.

At that moment the waitress returns with our meals. I look down at my plate, it looks scrumptious but I'm not sure if I'll be able to recover enough to be able to eat. I'm ecstatic and deeply touched by his kindness.

I look up at him with a straight face and thank him as honestly and meaningfully as I can. He smiles and nods, knowing very well how big this is for me. A smile remains on his face as his fork twirls the spaghetti on his plate. I start picking at my ravioli.

"Niklaus, I would've thought I'd be receiving a visit from you before running into you at a restaurant." Her voice sounds reprimanding and I watch Nik as he pats the corners of his mouth with his napkin.

"Mother," he begins, and my stomach takes a tumultuous turn.

Nik gets up from his chair as Esther approaches him. I see her silhouette pass over my shoulder before I get a clear look at her. I look up like a deer in headlights and then suddenly jump out of my chair. He kisses her on her cheek and gives her a hug.

"I'd like you to meet Caroline." He extends his hand towards me, causing his mother to look at me for what must have been a split second.

Her lips form a line and I think I see a faint smile on her face before she goes back to speaking with him. I don't even get a chance to say anything and I'm glad I didn't try to shake her hand, otherwise I would've been left hanging.

"Why haven't you been to the house?" She demands.

I'm having a hard time deciding whether I should sit back down or not. Nik looks over at me and I can tell he's embarrassed by his mother's behavior.

"I've been very busy, I'm sorry." He explains.

"I see." Her voice is demeaning as she gives me another look. "Well you know who hasn't been too busy to visit? Tatia."

I roll my eyes and finally take a seat. I down the whole glass of wine, preparing myself to listen to her speak wonders about the Petrova girl.

"Yeah, I know she's back in town." Nik replies, uninterested.

"Yes, and she's visited me more often than my own children." Esther's voice is stern, "She's just as delightful as ever, Niklaus. You should really think about giving that girl another chance. Nothing would make me happier than to see you two back together." She laments.

I stare at my ravioli, the waves of heat still flowing up from it as I try to block out her sung praises about Tatia Petrova. _Kill me now._

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but as you can see, I'm quite happy at the moment." Nik replies, looking down at me with a smile on his face.

I can't see Esther's reaction but I'm sure a huge eye roll was probably part of it. I smile back at him and we share a moment before she decides to cut in.

"I'm hopeful that you'll soon realize momentary happiness is nothing compared to a lifetime of it." She gives him another hug and kisses his cheek. "Come by the house more often, and pass the message along to your sister and brothers, will you?"

He nods, "I will."

Esther leaves just as fast as she appeared, leaving us in a very awkward situation.

"I'm so sorry." He says, and I can tell his appetite's gone.

"Don't be, Rebekah warned me about it." I reply, "Of course I was hoping she had been exaggerating a bit." My eyebrows raise, as I continue to stare at my food.

"What do you say we take this back to my place?" He asks, warmly.

"That sounds great." I reply, determined to make the best of our night even after our little encounter with his mother.

* * *

"Have you had enough time now?" He asks impatiently.

I lift my eyes up, taking sight of his face, as I rest the back of my head on his lap. The TV is on but all we've been doing is talking this whole time.

"Geez, getting a little anxious aren't we?" I tease, "But to answer your question, yes, I'm ready." I reply, rubbing my stomach before coming to an upright position. "I think I've had enough time to let the food settle."

Nik comes to his feet, the pools of blue in his eyes look more intense than usual as he takes a hold of my hand. He guides me out of the living room and up a curved staircase until we reach a room with a set of double doors. We stop, and he takes a hold of my other hand, locking his eyes with mine.

"Do tell me if you start to feel uncomfortable, love." He says.

I tilt my head, flashing him a smile, "Okay."

He opens the doors into his studio and right away I'm taken aback by his collection of art. He has easels set up in different locations, some with finished paintings but most of them are works in progress. I notice a large collection of vinyl records sitting on shelves against the wall and my curiosity guides me to them.

"Fan of classical music." I state and turn around to see his reaction.

He smiles bashfully, "It puts me in just the right mood."

I continue walking around, studying his paintings. His landscapes are magnificent, you can't even tell the difference between them and a photograph. He begins to clear out a space and before I know it, he's hauling a large sofa bed to the center of the room. He eyes the piece of furniture and figures out the best place for him to position himself. At this point, the blood rushing through my veins is causing tingles to run across my body. I know that in minutes, I'll be sitting on that sofa bed, entirely exposed in front of him.

"These are amazing." I say, pointing to his paintings.

"Thank you. I'll do my best to make this one even better." He smirks, nodding to let me know that he's ready.

I look down at the floor and take a deep breath. I kick off my heels and my fingers run over the smooth buttons of my blouse as I pop them open one at a time. My heart is pounding and my insides churning as I let it slide over my shoulders. We're looking at each other in quietude, and as soon as my shirt hits the floor, Nik looks away. I pull down my skirt, standing only in my bra and matching panties. He pushes the sofa bed against the wall, and sets a large mirror on top of it.

"Ok, I want you to lie down like this," he begins and I giggle when he demonstrates the pose. "You're back is going to be to me, but your face and upper body will be reflected off the mirror in front of you." He puts the mirror in front of him against the wall, to illustrate what he's talking about.

I nod, "I assume, you want me..." I pause, catching my breath, "nude."

He comes to his feet, and licks his lips before speaking, "Yes." He answers with conviction and a hint of plea.

I fill my lungs with air and then expel it as deeply as possible, before I pull down my panties. Nik tries his best not to look, arranging his paint brushes and paints as I continue to shed my clothes. After I unhook the bra, I instinctively place my arm over them, shielding them from view even though my bottom is bare. I lie on my side just the way he asked and when I turn around, he's standing next to me, holding a red sheet in his hands. For a minute I think he's going to cover me completely but all he does is arrange it in a way that it drapes off my thighs, covering the bottom half of my behind. His hands move around my naked form as he continues to carefully position the sheet so that it barely covers my nipples. The feel of the fabric and the proximity of his hands to my breasts cause my body to lose control and I can sense the muscles between my legs clenching in response. I watch him take a few steps back through the reflection in the mirror.

"I have never had such a difficult time controlling my urges, love." He admits and I swallow hard staring at his reflection with deep desire. "Luckily for me, you won't have to sit there for an infinite about of hours. I promise."

"Do I look at you?" I ask, causing him to nod in agreement.

Keeping my gaze on him isn't difficult at all. I actually enjoy watching his every move, especially keeping track of his wandering eyes as he registers every inch of my body. There's music playing in the background but it completely disappears when I get myself lost in him. I can tell when he gets to my face because his eyes are constantly meeting mine and I can't help but smile and flutter my eyelashes from time to time. He tries his best to remain concentrated on his work but smirks every now and then.

"We can take a break whenever you want." He says after about an hour.

"I'm fine." I reply in all honesty.

"I just need a few more details." His voice booms over the music.

He looks at the reflection in the mirror, and it's obvious he's working on my chest. The time it takes him to finish seems to fly by and I'm surprised when he finally sets his brush down.

"Are you finished already?"

He smiles in confirmation, "Do you want to see it?"

I wrap myself in the sheet and walk over to his working station. "Oh my God, that's incredible!" I exclaim, seeing a much more graceful version of myself.

"It still needs some work, but I think I captured your features well enough." He says with a tone of confidence.

"I can't believe you did that in a matter of hours. It's stunning." I'm in awe.

"No, love. You're stunning." He says, staring up at me in that way that makes my knees go weak.

A smile splits across my face as I take notice of the variety of brushes sitting in front of him. "You used all those?" I ask.

He looks down at them, "Not all of them, just a few."

"That one looks interesting." I say, pointing to one whose bristles are spread out in the shape of a hand-held fan.

"This one's a fan brush." He explains and I raise my eyebrows, _of course it is_. "I usually use it for blending or giving a textural effect, like in the case of clouds or ocean waves." He takes it between his fingers, "It's soft, see..." he says, brushing it up and down my arm.

I open my mouth at the soothing sensation and I swear I can almost see his eyes shift from a light blue to a dark sapphire, when he sees the reaction it arises in me. He continues the brush's trajectory up to my shoulders and across my chest, until a laugh escapes my throat. I don't say anything, I just look down at him and bite down on my lip.

He picks up a different brush, "This one's a pointed round brush and it's good for capturing fine details and lines in _delicate_ _areas_." His voice is so alluring, my body can practically feel the touch of the brush before it even makes contact.

Nik takes his fingers and parts an opening between the sheet until he exposes my abdomen. My center is on fire and I can feel myself moistening at a rapid pace as he begins to trace imaginary lines over my skin. He does it carefully, as if he's actually working on a canvas and my breathing becomes rapid and shallow.

"You know exactly what you're doing to me, don't you?" I breathe out.

"I'm just giving you a lesson in Art 101," He replies with a smirk. "Ready for the next one?"

I don't say a thing, only wait for him to continue torturing me. He picks up a larger brush, flat with curved edges.

"Wanna take a guess?" He teases.

I shake my head, "No idea."

"It's a bright brush and it's good for... _short, controlled strokes_." He says and I gasp, loud enough for him to hear, "It's much better for working up close." He finishes and I look down at him, waiting to see what he's going to do with it.

He eyes the hand I'm using to hold the sheet up to my chest and smiles at me. He brings his face closer to my body as he begins to place gentle strokes on my skin, starting on my neck and moving down towards my breasts. Gently and slowly, the brush goes underneath the sheet until I can feel it make contact with the sensitive area of my right breast. I instinctively groan under my breath at the sensation, allowing his other hand to pry my fingers from the sheet. It falls to the ground, leaving me naked and vulnerable in front of him. He makes one last stroke with the brush, running it over my now hard nipples and this time it's impossible to keep my moan in check.

Nik drops the brush, placing his mouth on my chest in his place and I feel his soft kisses trail over the mounds of my breasts until his wet tongue finally trails over it. I grab on to the back of his neck, running my fingers in his hair as I feel his hands take a hold of my thighs and go up my behind. He squeezes my flesh and moves his tongue over my nipples, switching from one to the other as I continue to whimper at the feeling.

"Take me, Nik." I plead, pulling him up to his feet and working to get him out of his clothes.

He kisses me passionately, darting his tongue in and out of my mouth as my hands pull his pants off. I run my hand over his erection, pressing and massaging it until I hear him groan with pleasure and then I pull up his shirt. We break apart for just a second to allow him to pull it over his head. My fingers take a hold of the band of his boxer briefs and I pull them down so fast, I'm starting to think I'm coming across as desperate. _Who am I kidding, I'm dying to have him inside_.

Nik places his hands on my waist and I walk backwards towards the sofa bed. He gently pushes me on it and I'm completely captivated by his nakedness as he shuffles through his drawers looking for what I assume is a condom. I watch him as he finally finds one and focus solely on him. His sculpted arms and shoulders, his chiseled abs, the happy trail that leads to his, _holy shit!,_ erection between his legs. He's gorgeous and sexy, and he's all mine. I'm not done contemplating him when he falls over me in a careful motion, spreading my legs apart with his hands. He nips at my neck and then kisses my lips as I feel his hardness penetrate my throbbing center. I pant, as he begins to move in and out of me at a slow but steady pace. There's a moment when we look into each others' eyes and I feel connected to him in all levels. I smile and close my eyes, moaning his name as he begins to speed up his movements.

"You feel amazing, sweetheart." He whispers into my ear, and I immediately feel the rush of warm liquid running down my walls as my body spirals into an exhilarating orgasm.

I feel my body temperature rise and my muscles relax, still dazed from its effects. I roll over on the bed, moving my hips in a circular rhythm as he kneads my breasts. He runs his thumb over my nipples and I feel myself getting close to finishing once again. I rest my chest on his, bringing my face down to him and I kiss him, savoring his lips between mine as I begin to move my hips up and down his length. It's not long before I feel my muscle become tense and I burst into waves of euphoria. I moan, "Nik, I want you to feel this with me."

I don't have to ask him twice, a second later, he explodes into me with as much elation as expected. He's breathless and wipes off the little beads of sweat that managed to accumulate on his forehead. I get off from on top of him and come to rest on his side.

He turns his head towards me, staring at me almost in disbelief. "My sweet, sweet Caroline." He says softly, running his fingers through my hair.

I don't say anything back my only response is in the form of a kiss.

* * *

**Review, review, review, PLEASE! :) I need to know if you guys are still into the story or not...**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: We have Nik's POV again :) Took me long enough to update, I know.**

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**Chapter 11: Something Unexpected**

* * *

The muffled sound of birds chirping alerts me that it's morning and my eyelids open, adjusting very slowly to the brightness coming in from the window. My eyes run over her naked body as I try to memorize every detail and every curve of her perfect form. She's ravishingly striking and as radiant as the sun, part of me can't believe she's actually mine. Her chin lifts up as her blue eyes search for mine and I can't do much more than smile like the idiot she's turned me into.

"Ready for round three?" I ask, _of course I'm still kind of an idiot all on my own_.

She rolls her eyes, "Men..." Is all she says before turning to lie on her stomach and propping herself up on her forearms. Her blonde curls cascade over her face and her pink lips part as she releases a little gasp.

"How are you so perfect, sweetheart?" I ask, caressing her face with my fingers.

Caroline shakes her head, "Oh no! Don't do that." She refutes.

My eyes widen and I raise my eyebrows at her response. "Do what?"

"Don't put me on a pedestal and make me out to be flawless. I couldn't possibly live up to that." She says with a smile.

A chuckle escapes my throat, "I supposed we do all have our imperfections." I look at her fearing she might take that the wrong way but she only grins. "You're perfectly imperfect then. Is that better?"

She laughs, "Well even thought that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron not to mention a bit insulting," her face scrunches up in a frown, "I actually like it!"

Her finger slides over my chest, tracing a line down to my belly button. "You're beautiful." I mutter, watching her draw imaginary circles around my navel.

"And you can hold your own next to a Greek God." She replies.

I tilt my head, looking at her unconvinced. "Wait, I'm supposed to be able to live up to _that_?" I tease, causing her to burst into laughter.

She sighs. "Thanksgiving's coming soon," her comment comes completely out of left field but her face tells me exactly why she said it.

"You want to go see your mother." My tone is sympathetic.

She nods, a slight hint of red appearing on her cheeks.

"That can be arranged." I say, leaning forward to kiss her lips.

* * *

I'm a selfish bastard. I admit it, I don't want her to go. I want her to stay in L.A. but her angelic face and soft eyes make it impossible for me to express how I'm really feeling.

"Have a good time, love." I say, putting up a front.

"I'll be back before you know it." She replies, tilting her head back and closing her eyes, waiting for our mouths to meet.

People walk past us, pulling their luggage from one place to another. The airport is buzzing with individuals going back home for the holiday weekend.

Caroline pulls away, smiling at me before deciding it's finally time for her to head to her terminal. I watch her go up the escalator, slowly getting further and further away from me, until finally she disappears amidst the crowd. I exhale, looking around at the endless amount of people and make my way out of the airport.

* * *

"You really miss her don't you?" Rebekah asks, helping me organize the files in the office.

"Is it that obvious?" I reply, trying to sound indifferent.

"Come on Nik, there's no point in hiding it. You have a heart, oh no! Worst kept secret!" She mocks me, as she shuts the filing cabinet.

"I really appreciate your help with this."

"Don't mention it, what are little sisters for?" She smiles.

I guess Caroline was right after all, our productivity level plummeted in a matter of days after we got together. That's not to say she was a sloppy worker because I'll admit, it was mainly my fault. I distracted her more than I should have and that in turn put us behind.

"So when are you meeting with that one guy?" Rebekah asks.

"That one guy? It's a good thing you don't work for me, I'd fire you on the spot." I say. "I'm meeting with Hirsh tomorrow, too bad Caroline still won't be back."

She raises her eyebrows as if saying 'don't even think about it.' I laugh, "Don't worry, I wasn't about to ask you to come with me."

"Yeah, I'm okay with files. Clients? Not so much." She waves her hand in a dismissive manner. "Besides, I'm leaving town this evening. I have a ballet performance coming up and I'm going to be very busy."

My phone starts to ring, buzzing loudly in my pocket and I take it out immediately hoping it's her.

I sigh, "Elijah."

"Sorry to disappoint you, brother," He replies noticing my tone.

"I apologize, I wasn't expecting you to call." I say, clearing my throat.

"Niklaus, we have a problem with the company." The rasp in his voice makes the seriousness of the situation evident.

"What's going on?"

"I'd prefer to talk about this in person. Can you come to my place later this evening? 7 o'clock?"

I look at my watch, "Yeah, I'll be there." I say before hanging up.

Rebekah's frozen in place, waiting for me to let her in on the information. After a few seconds of me not saying anything she finally asks, "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know. Elijah just said there's a problem with the company but didn't want to go into details over the phone." I reply.

"There's something wrong." Her voice is hushed. "He would've told you, otherwise."

We both look at each other without uttering a word, and something tells me this is cause for concern.

* * *

"We had turkey and ham, stuffing, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie! I could go on and on. I'm pretty sure I ate more than the past Thanksgivings combined." Caroline's voice is joyous as I listen to her through my car's speakers. "All my extended family was here, which was great. I missed seeing them."

"I miss _you_." I admit, stopping at a red light.

"Awwww I miss you too! But I'll be there in a couple more days." I can sense her smile on the other end.

"I'm taking you away as soon as you return, just you and me." I say, looking up at the red light impatiently as I notice the time on my dashboard. _6:57._

"Where are we going?" She exclaims.

"To a little place I like to call heaven." I say with a chuckle.

"Why does everything always have to be a secret?" She replies, and I bet if she were here now, she'd be pouting like a 5-year-old.

"Because I love seeing the look of surprise on your beautiful face." The light finally turns green and I speed up the the hill on my way to Elijah's home.

She laughs, "Yeah, that's always great." There's a short pause before she continues, "So how was _your_ Thanksgiving?"

"We don't celebrate Thanksgiving, love." I reply.

"Oh right. British." She says it in a pretty-close-to-perfect British accent, which causes me to laugh. _Other motorists must think I'm insane._

I finally reach the driveway, just in time to see Kol jumping in his convertible. He waves at me but doesn't take off, so I assume he's waiting to talk to me.

"I gotta go, love. I just got to Elijah's house and I'm running late already." I say.

"Okay. I'll see soon! Tell Elijah I said 'hello'... and Kol!" She adds with a laugh, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Have a good night, sweetheart."

"Goodnight!" And then the line goes silent.

I get out of my car, adjusting my jacket before making my way to the entrance of the house.

"Good luck in there!" Kol says as I approach him.

"What's all the mystery about?" I ask, frustrated.

"Let's just say, you're not going to like their idea." He twists his mouth in disapproval.

"_Their_ idea?" I ask.

"I gotta go." He replies, knowing very well he probably should've kept his mouth shut.

"Wait!" I say but it's too late, he speeds off waving as he turns around the bend and out into the street.

* * *

The house seems desolate, the lights are all on but I can't hear a single sound except for the ticking of the giant grandfather clock against the wall. My feet finally reach Elijah's freshly polished kitchen floor and the sound of my footsteps alerts whoever's home that I've arrived because I soon hear whispering coming from his library.

I knock a couple times on the door before opening it. Sitting in front of the lit fireplace is Elijah and my mother. They're drinking half-full glasses of Cognac that I can only assume my mother brought back from France. If there's anything my mother loves more than shopping, it's shopping for ridiculously expensive brandy.

"Good evening, Niklaus." Elijah greets me as my mother takes a sip of her drink.

"What's going on?" I ask, without even bothering to return the greeting.

My mother clears her throat, "I suppose we should jump right into business. There's no point in dragging this further."

I nod. "I've had enough of this conundrum."

"The problem is that the auto company is gravely in debt." Elijah begins, "After a string of human errors in investments, we're close to filing for Chapter 11." His tone is grave.

"Chapter 11?" I raise my voice, "The company is close to bankruptcy and I'm just finding out now?" I pace back and forth, running my fingers through my hair. "How did you let this happen?" My tone is accusing but Elijah takes no offense.

"We made bad investments. I don't have any other excuse than that." He replies, taking a seat next to our mother.

"Elijah and I were talking about our options, Niklaus." She says, sternly. "Come, sit down and we'll talk about it."

I narrow my eyes. _You're not going to like their idea._ Kol's words echo in my head as I take a seat on the couch in front of them. I rest my forearms on my thighs and bend over slightly, interlocking my hands together. They know they have my complete and full attention.

"Go on.." I mutter.

"Get your brother a drink." She orders and Elijah stands up in an instant. "Give me a minute Niklaus, we're still waiting on one more person."

I crinkle my forehead, watching Elijah pour Cognac into a glass for me. "Who?"

The door to the library opens slowly, and I release a huff when I get the answer to my question. Her normally undulated brown hair is tied up in a high ponytail and she's dressed like she's actually attending a business meeting. I look down at the floor as she approaches us. My mother stands up, giving her a hug and a kiss with such warmth and delight that the mere sight seems overdramatic. She goes on to greet Elijah, who is much better at hiding his disdain than I am.

"Hi Niklaus." Her voice is high and pitchy, although I assume she's trying to sound endearing.

"Tatia." I say, drinking from my glass carelessly.

She sits next to me and I look at each of their faces, still puzzled by their excuse of a meeting. "Can we proceed now?"

"Mother had an idea for avoiding this whole mess." Elijah begins.

I look at my mother who smiles at me with uncertainty. "You and Tatia have known each other for so long. You've shared so much."

_Where is she going with this?_ I set my empty glass on the center table in front of me and continue to listen to her endless ramble about my past with Tatia.

"What does this have to do with anything?" I finally interrupt.

"My father is the owner of one of the largest auto export companies in the world, Nik." The way she says my name isn't quite fitting for her tongue.

"I know that." I say. "What is he going to do? Save ours from debt? Are you here to offer us a loan or buys us off?" I chuckle sarcastically.

"Something along those lines." She smiles.

"Tatia is the largest U.S. company shareholder." Elijah chimes in and I can see his jaw clench with uneasiness.

"If we joined the companies together, we'd save ours from going under and could practically dominate the market." My mother adds, "And what better partner than Tatia?"

"How are we going to do that?" I ask. "Are you going to save our company out of the goodness of your heart?" I direct my question at Tatia.

Elijah takes a sip from his drink and looks over at my mother. He's obviously not going to be the one to break the news. I raise my eyebrows, waiting for someone to answer my question.

My mother begins to speak, "She's agreed to share ownership of the shares, if you..."

"If you and I get married." Tatia concludes.

I look at Elijah for confirmation but he doesn't even have the courage to look me in the eye. There's a moment of silence before I erupt in contemptuous laughter, "Tell me you're all joking. Please, please, _please, _tell me this is all a big joke!"

They're all seated, a straight face plastered on each of them. "Elijah." I say and he finally acknowledges me. "Tell me you don't agree with this."

He clears his throat, "Sometimes sacrifices need to be made for the good of the family."

I stand up, shaking my head, "No. I don't and I _won't_ agree to this!"

"Niklaus, listen!" My mother pleads but her words are useless.

"I can't marry a woman I'm not in love with. This isn't 16th century England!" I'm fuming, trying to understand how any of them thought this was a good idea. I walk towards the door, still huffing in disgust at their proposal.

"So you're just going to let this family go up in flames, is that it?" My mother asks infuriated, causing me to halt with my hand on the doorknob.

"The hotel business is going fantastic." I reply dryly, "Perhaps you should start limiting your spending because even though it's enough to allow you to live a very wealthy life, I'm afraid it won't be able to maintain your extravagant lifestyle." I pause, "I suggest you cut back on your caviar and French Cognac." I leave the room and shut the door behind me.

I'm almost to the door when I hear footsteps rapidly approaching behind me but I don't bother looking back.

"Niklaus!" Elijah's call echoes out of the house and I come to a halt next to the driver's side of my car.

"Whatever you say, you won't convince me otherwise." I state.

"Look, I know you're angry and I'm sorry for going along with this but I didn't know what else to do." He says as sincerely as possible.

"You know precisely what type of woman Tatia is." I press my finger against his chest, "You're aware of how miserable she makes me. How could you have possibly even considered this _brilliant _idea?"

"I know how much our family means to you. I thought you'd do it for us." He explains.

"That company is your responsibility, not mine." I state. "It's more important to you than it will ever be to me. And yes, I do care and love our family very much but even you know, you're asking too much of me."

And with that I get in my car, leaving Elijah standing in the driveway all by himself as I drive away. I punch in Rebekah's number into my phone; at this point she's the only one I can discuss this with.

_Hey this is Rebekah! I'm out of town working on a very _

_important ballet performance at the time. I'll be back in _

_L.A. next Tuesday. If this is an emergency, A REAL_

_EMERGENCY, I'm staying at our family's hotel in Chicago._

Her voicemail is always the same when she books a performance. It's almost like she forgets the world around her exists. I end the call after I listen to the message a second time; maybe it's better that she's not picking up. She would probably just laugh it off and then yell at me for troubling her.

I continue on my way home, wishing my pretty little blonde was here to make it all better.

* * *

**A/N: Filing for Chapter 11 IN Chapter 11 of the fic? LOL That was pure coincidence, I swear! Please tell me what you think so far ;) **

**P.S. HOLY CRAP THE PREMIERE WAS AMAZING! I'M CONFIDENT THIS SEASON IS THE SEASON OF K/C! I have so many feels! Thank goodness for Tumblr :D Follow me lostinmysticfalls :) I always follow back.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This chapter is a combination of fluff and spice and written from Caroline's POV. I apologize if there's too much cheese but I'm a sucker for this. I know I took longer than usual to update and I'm so sorry! I have been really busy lately with RL but I promise the remaining few chapters will be uploaded much sooner. I plan to have this story finished by the second week of November.**

* * *

**Chapter 12: The L Word**

* * *

"I missed you so much." He murmurs as his lips press against mine in an ardent, needy kiss.

I smile, breathing in his scent and rubbing my nose against his as he continued to nip gently at them. "I missed you too."

We have become what I always hated; the couple that stands in the middle of a crowded public place, making out without realizing how uncomfortable they're making everyone else. When we finally break apart, he grabs a hold of my suitcase and places it in the trunk of his car.

"How was the meeting with Hirsh?" I ask.

He shuts the trunk and gives me a proud smile. "Deal worked out perfectly!" He exclaims, walking over to open the passenger door for me.

"I knew it would work out." I beam, before he shuts the door and makes his way to his side.

"Thank you." The sincerity in his voice is almost palpable.

"You did the hard part." I smile, taking a hold of his hand.

The drive back home is perfect. The streets are bathed in Christmas colors, there are lights on the trees in Downtown and the atmosphere overall is warm and cheery, I've only been gone a week but it feels like an entirely different town. Nik tells me all about his meeting with Hirsh and I can't help feeling proud and extremely happy for him.

"Have you talked to my sister?" He says in a grave tone.

I look at him with worried eyes, "She told me she was going to be busy with ballet until Tuesday. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No." His reply isn't very convincing. "I just wanted to make sure she let you know. Rebekah has this thing about disconnecting herself from the world when she books performances."

"Trust me, I was warned." I reply, still looking at him concerned by his change in tone. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Just some trouble with the auto company but nothing you should worry about. I'm sure Elijah will be able to handle it." He smiles, "Oh, and guess what?" He asks, making the turn into the driveway.

I eye him dubiously, "What?"

He puts on a sad face, "You no longer work for me."

"You found a replacement already?" I didn't think it would be such a big deal to me, but it's a weird feeling to know someone else is now taking your place. My next question is predictable, "Who's your new assistant?"

He lowers his glance and steps out of the car before answering. I cross my arms over my chest, already feeling like I won't like the answer. Nik opens the door for me and then takes out my suitcase.

"You remember that redhead with the really big... personality?" He says, waiting for me to open the door to the house.

My mouth opens up, ready to swallow him whole and my eyes widen in disbelief, "You didn't!"

Nik laughs, "Aren't you going to unlock the door, love?"

I shake my head, "Not until you tell me if you're being serious."

He narrows his eyes, twisting his mouth as he studies my facial expression. I raise my eyebrows, annoyed that he chose this moment to tell me this. He smiles, letting go of my suitcase and taking the keys from my hand to unlock the door.

"Do you really think I'd do that to you?" He laughs, dragging the suitcase behind him.

I shut the door, "You think you're so funny."

"I couldn't help it. You're just so cute when you get jealous." He replies, closing in on me to give me a kiss. He looks around and then looks back at me, "We're all alone..."

I emit a laugh, "Did you or did you not find a new assistant?"

"Her name's Anne and she's a very nice and _qualified_, _middle-aged_, lady." He assures me, placing an emphasis on her age. "It kind of just happened in the spur of the moment. One minute I was closing a deal with Hirsh, the next he's telling me about having to let his personal assistant go due to his financial situation."

A chuckle leaves my mouth, "So you didn't just take his property, you took his assistant as well? You're quite the conqueror!" I make a joke out of it but deep down I'm relieved he wasn't being serious about that redheaded slut.

"This means you don't have to worry about any work-related stuff this weekend." He smirks, running his tongue over his lip and practically undressing me with his eyes.

"Speaking of this weekend, please tell me where you're taking me." I beg.

His smile is enticing, "I already told you, it's a place I like to call heaven."

I place my hands on my hips, "That isn't saying enough. Your heaven and my heaven must be completely different."

"My heaven's wherever you are." He replies almost immediately, touching the tip of my nose with his index finger and making my insides melt. "Make sure you pack warm." He winks.

* * *

I step out of the shower, wrapped in a towel. Nik's lying on my bed, seemingly reading a book I've had sitting on my nightstand for ages. "This man has to be some sort of psychopath. There's no way he's right in the head." He complains, closing the book and setting it back in its place.

I laugh, "There's a reason I stopped reading. It got a little too _weird_ for me." I say.

"Red room of pain?" He narrows his eyes.

"Exactly." I say with a laugh, picking out my clothes from the drawer.

He fixes the pillow behind him and puts his hands on the back of his head, staring at me with that look that gets my blood pumping. I smile, taking a hold of the towel, pretending to strip it off my body. I see his Adam's apple move as he takes a gulp, his blue eyes saying so much more than words could ever express.

"What?" I ask innocently, brushing my hair to one side. "You see something you like?" And I see a spark in his eyes that only winds me up more.

"You've been gone a week, love." He replies with a smirk.

I walk over to his side of the bed, standing next to him and bring my mouth down to his, teasing him until he's practically lifting his head off the bed to reach my lips.

"I want to try something." I say, "Close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you to."

He does as I say and I begin by removing his jeans. I notice immediately how his breathing becomes sharper and his chest rises and falls quicker than usual. I smile, biting down on my lip, not realizing how arousing this would be for me as well. As I begin lifting off his shirt, he helps me, allowing me to pry it off him easier and not once opening his eyes. When he's completely naked, I let my towel drop to the floor.

"You're killing me here." He mutters.

I take a hold of his hand and place it on my body, running it intricately over my skin but avoiding my most sensitive areas. It's fascinating to watch his body react to every touch. After I'm done, I bring my mouth to his neck, placing soft kisses on him and slowly begin moving south. He begins breathing unevenly as I get closer and closer to his throbbing manhood.

"Oh to hell with it!" He says, opening his eyes and taking a hold of me. I yell as he throws me on the bed, climbing on top of me and releasing all of his desires.

* * *

One day. That's all I had to prepare myself for yet another trip. I didn't even get to breathe in enough of the Los Angeles air, _which is probably a good thing?_ before he stuffed our suitcases in his trunk and strapped me to the passenger seat.

I look out the window of the car as he begins driving, it's gloomy out without a sign of sun anywhere. The radio is playing a familiar tune and Nik has his eyes focused on the road ahead of him. We're only stuck in traffic for a few minutes before he takes a highway leading us away from the city.

"This place is like my safe haven, especially when I need to escape and clear my head." He says, turning to me with a reassuring smile.

"Are you taking me to the top of the world?" I ask, realizing our elevation is getting higher with every turn we make.

Nik smirks, "Perhaps."

I grin, noticing how the side of the road is covered with white fluffy snow and my eyes catch a glimpse of a sign. _Arrowhead Lake 10 miles. _The pine trees along the road only appear more covered in snow as we reach the top. The road becomes even curvier, the car moving in a left and right motion as we drive through a little town.

I turn to him and smile, "I missed the snow."

"I did too." He replies, eyeing me very quickly before focusing back on the road.

After a few more turns, he pulls into a smaller street, making his way to the very end and a grin appears on my face as I see the large lake in front of us. He parks the car in a matter of seconds, on the driveway of a two story cabin.

I step out of the car. "It's beautiful!" I can see my breath in front of me when I speak and immediately reach in the back seat and grab my jacket.

Nik takes our suitcases out of the trunk and proceeds to the front door, I trail behind, taking in the beautiful snow-covered pine trees and the crystalline lake. We walk inside, being greeted by a surprising warmth.

"I asked the maintenance people to leave the heater on last night." He says.

"It's toasty, I love it." I reply, walking around the cabin floor and admiring the decor.

It's a cozy place, much smaller than any of their homes but just as beautifully furnished and decorated. A plush sectional sofa sits in front of the TV, with a chimney in one corner. I laugh in excitement when I see the portraits hanging on the wall.

"This is your family's cabin." I state, still browsing the picture frames.

"We bought it the year we moved to L.A., hoping we'd use it every summer and winter as a vacation spot of sorts." He replies, running his hand over the bricks of the chimney.

"Did you?"

He sighs, "We only spent one Christmas here, after that everyone just seemed too busy."

"What a bummer." I reply, noticing his eyes are still downcast. "What's wrong?"

He snaps his head up, smiling at me and shaking his head. "How can anything be wrong with you around?"

I smile and roll my eyes, still not entirely used to his compliments and praises.

"Let me show you the rest of the place." He says, taking a hold of my hand and gently pulling me away.

We stroll through the small, quaint kitchen, equipped with everything imaginable. He shows me where everything is before taking me into the dining room, which serves as a passageway to the back patio. I can see the lake through the large glass sliding doors.

Nik smiles, noticing how captivated I am by it, "The lake is my favorite thing too. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to get lost in time just looking at it."

"I don't doubt it for a second." I reply, glancing at the beauty before me. The larger peaks of the surrounding mountains provide the perfect background to the calm body of water and a light breeze shakes the branches of the pine trees in a soothing manner.

He opens the sliding doors, allowing me to step outside first. I look back at him, beaming, when I notice the large hot tub to my right, overlooking the deep blue waters.

"The lake is too cold to swim in, most of the year." Nik says, his dimples becoming evident as his smirk grows.

"I understand now why you asked me to pack a bathing suit." I reply, causing him to chuckle.

I take a few steps across the patio, the wood creaking below my feet. I hug myself, feeling a burst of cold air whistling through the trees.

"There's an inexplicable feeling of calmness and relaxation. It's unreal." I breathe in, "And the smell..." I close my eyes, "You definitely can't get this in the city."

"You like it?"

"It's gorgeous, of course I do! The heaven reference makes perfect sense now." I reply.

We walk back inside and he shows me two of the bedrooms located downstairs before he grabs our suitcases and guides me up the stairs into his bedroom. There's a long hallway comprised of three rooms, his being the last one. After settling down we both decide it's time to grab a bite to eat.

* * *

"You won't be cold, I promise." He says, motioning me to come join him in the hot tub.

I'm wrapped in a towel, my teeth chattering and goosebumps rising over my arms and legs as the cold air caresses them. My hair is pinned up with a clip and I can feel the hair in the back of my neck stand up in response.

I shake my head, "I'm freezing already!"

"Don't make me come get you." He playfully threatens me and I bite down on my lip.

I tiptoe my way across the porch and rest the towel on one of the wooden chairs before I climb in to join him. The water is warm and comforting and I breathe a sigh of relief as it touches my skin. His eyes are glued on me as I submerge my body into the bubbly water.

"Was that so bad?" He teases, moving himself closer to me.

"A little."

I look over my shoulder. The only source of light illuminating the lake is the gentle glow of the white moon overhead. Everything else is pitch black and the only sound I can hear is the bubbling of the water as the hot tub jets continue working. I lean my head back and smile taking in the sight of the starlit sky, and for a moment I do feel like I'm on top of the world.

Nik's face covers my view as he leans in for a kiss. His lips brush against mine, as he places one of his hands on the nook of my neck, gently massaging my skin with the tip of his fingers.

"I'll be right back." He whispers before rising up from the water and stepping out.

He disappears inside, wrapped in a towel and I furrow my eyebrows, puzzled. I hear a loud pop before he reappears again, this time holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and two glasses in the other.

I grin, "What are we celebrating?"

He hands me the glasses and removes his towel, stepping back into the hot tub. "Us."

The champagne glasses are filled almost to the rim. He tilts his head slightly to one side, looking at me with blazing eyes as he begins. "To taking chances and making memories, love. Cheers!"

"Cheers!" I reply with a smile before bringing the glass to my lips.

Nik tells me everything that happened in my absence but I can't quite rid myself of the feeling that there's something else bothering him. It's not long before we finish the bottle of champagne and everything suddenly becomes funnier to both us. We set our glasses down and I come at him with determination. _They call it liquid courage for a reason. _I slide over, sitting on his lap as I begin to caress his face with my fingers and he looks at me with wanting eyes. I bring my lips closer to his, exhaling into him and pulling away when I feel them touch mine. He groans, knowing I'm only teasing him. I give in to him eventually, allowing his tongue to part my lips and his hands to run down my back. He takes a hold of my legs and repositions me so that I'm now straddling him.

I can feel him growing harder underneath me, putting pressure on my center as he continues to attack me with ardent kisses. I take a hold of his face, looking into his eyes for just a moment before nipping at his lips with fervor. His mouth leaves mine, continuing their trajectory to my neck and I begin to breathe heavily as his fingers slide under my bikini bottom. The feeling of his hands on my bare skin fuels me with exhilaration and I begin to move in a slow circular motion over his hardness.

He moans against my neck and I smile, his response only adding fuel to my fire. His hands roam along my sides, stopping just below my breasts as his thumbs rest over my ribcage. Nik moves them slowly, sliding them underneath the fabric of my top and I feel my center pulsate as they come in contact with my nipples. He clenches his teeth, knowing how much pleasure he's giving me with just a simple touch. A gently cry leaves my mouth and my hips start moving over his hardness with even more intensity.

He smiles, "You like this, sweetheart?"

I don't reply, instead I bring my hand under the water and tug at his bathing suit, just enough for my hand to slide underneath and take a hold of his length. His mouth drops open, "I'll take that as a yes." He mutters before I begin pumping him at an intricate pace. His eyes close, reveling in the feeling.

He finally pulls off my top, leaving it floating over the water as he cups my breasts with his hands. His face presses against my chest before I feel the warmth of his tongue make contact with my skin. I release him from my grasp and move my hands to his shoulders, calling out his name as his mouth wraps around one of my hard nipples. He knows how much I love this. My center is on fire and I push down against him, practically begging for him to take me.

"Let's go inside." I mutter. He stands up, as I wrap my legs around him like a koala bear, holding on to a tree for dear life. Water drips down, leaving a trail behind as he walks inside with me.

He carries me all the way up stairs, and brings me to rest on his bed. I watch him strip down, water droplets running down his body as he preps himself for me. I want this time to be different. To his surprise, I slide off the bed, ridding myself of the last piece of article I have left.

I walk towards him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his. The heat between my legs roars with excitement as I feel his hands take a hold of my ass. He squeezes my skin in a desperate manner before placing them on the back of my thighs. I look up at him, holding on to his neck and with his help, wrap my legs around his hips. He turns around, trapping me between him and the wooden wall as he guides his length inside me. I gasp loudly as he fills me up.

He pulses against me, pushing himself into me with such eagerness that it feels like he's doing this to me for the first time. He buries his face in my chest, feeling my accelerated heart beating against him.

"I don't want anybody else but you." He mutters in between breaths.

I take a hold of his face, parting my lips and breathing sharply with every impact of his hips against my body. "You already have me, Nik."

As the words leave my mouth, I feel a rush of ecstasy consume me whole as my center reaches its tipping point. I whimper, feeling the heat spread to every inch of me as he makes me come. He continues moving inside me, this time at a faster pace and he takes my lips in his, causing little moans to leave my throat. It's not long before I feel his body stiffen against me and sense the warmth of his release. He takes a deep breathe and I unwrap my legs from around his hips, coming to stand on my toes. Neither of us say anything, we just close in on each other and lock lips.

* * *

I stare up at the ceiling, noticing him turn his head towards me out of the corner of my eye.

"What?" I smile, burying myself into the softness of the sheets.

He remains silent but comes to rest on his elbow as he turns on his side. "I love you, Caroline."

I exhale in surprise as my heart begins thumping in my chest with excitement. My ears can't believe what they've just heard. I smile, "Please tell me this isn't a joke."

Nik shakes his head, "I've never been more honest in my whole life." I beam, attacking him with kisses all over.

I come to a halt, staring into his eyes and baring my soul to him, "I love you too." I say, holding the urge to scream it at the top of my lungs.

He brings his arms around me, taking me in for a tight embrace and kisses the top of my head. "And I promise, I won't let anything come between us." He mutters.

I blink, concerned by his choice of words. "You're mother doesn't like me." I murmur against his chest.

"I don't care what my mother or anybody else thinks." He says quietly, "I want to be with you and nobody is going to change that."

* * *

**Nik didn't want to worry Caroline with something that's over and done with, so he decided to keep the whole Tatia situation to himself. I'm sure that won't come back and bite him in the ass...**

**Please take a moment to review! I miss your feedback! xoxo**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hi, everyone! Finally updating the fic once again. I apologize in advance for any typos; I edited this chapter twice but there's always a slip up or two. I appreciate all the wonderful reviews. Thank you so much! You guys are too kind to me :)**

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**Chapter 13: All Sure Things Fall**

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I can't stand still, I'm pacing back and forth in my room just waiting for my phone to ring. The casting director told me they'd be notifying people today and my anxiety is through the roofs. I haven't eaten a single thing since I woke up. The thought of landing a role in the play makes my insides churn incessantly, making it difficult for me to even stomach a small meal. I place my hands on the window sill, looking out into the Hollywood hills. They're painted over with hues of blue and grey as the sky reflects upon them the gloomy feel of late autumn and the imminent arrival of winter.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes for just a second as a smile appears on my face. _Nik_. The last couple weeks have been one of the most wonderful I've ever experienced. I'm deep in thought, retracing all the memories when my phone begins blasting a Kelly Clarkson song. My heart skips a beat, _or two_, and I take a hold of it immediately before realizing it's not the call I've been expecting but it makes me happy nonetheless.

"You're alive!" I exclaim, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Caroline!" And then I realize how much I've missed my partner in crime, "I'm so sorry. The trip took longer than I planned. How is everything?" She sounds in good spirits and I can hear the chatter of people in the background.

"Things are great! I really miss you Rebekah, when are you coming back?" I take a seat on my bed and cross my legs.

"Tomorrow. I just talked to Nik and he told me about his art exhibit, looks like I'll be making it home just in time!" She says, with an evident tone of relief. "I only spoke to him for a couple minutes but he sounded very happy." She snickers.

I'm unable to keep a straight face, smiling against the phone as a low sigh escapes my throat, "Yes. I'll tell you all about it as soon as you get back."

"My plane is scheduled to land at 5 p.m., I'll have to catch up with you guys at the exhibit." She starts to speak faster and I assume it's because she has to go. I hear people in the background again, their voices louder than before and Rebekah whispers something to someone around her. "Ok, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Looking forward to it! Have a safe flight!" My phone beeps twice, alerting me that the call has ended.

I didn't even have a chance to tell her about my audition. Again, the thought of it fills me with anxiety. A short minute later, my phone starts vibrating in my hand, blasting the same song. I look down at it, the screen shows a number I don't recognize but I know it's an L.A. area code. My eyes widen and I allow the song to play for a couple seconds more as to not come off too eager.

"Hello?" My voice cracks, like a teenage boy speaking to his crush for the first time.

"Hi, this is Lana calling from the production of Grease. May I please speak with Caroline Forbes?" I remember her, she was in the room taking notes along with the director and the casting personnel as I was doing my best Sandy Olsen.

"Hi, yes this is Caroline." I reply, shaking my leg nervously and making the whole bed tremble.

"Caroline, how are you?"

"Nervous."

She laughs, "Well, I'm calling because we've made the final cuts to our cast list. I guess I shouldn't torture you much longer with it." Another giggle escapes her lips and I'm dying of anticipation, "It's good news."

My jaw drops and my heart rate increases simultaneously, "Really?"

"You are our Sandy!" Her voice is high pitched and then there's a silence as she waits for me to say something.

"Oh my God! You have no idea how happy this makes me! Thank you! Thank you, so so much for the opportunity!" I lose it at this point. I must have thanked her to the point of annoyance because after that she quickly gave me the date and time of rehearsals and terminated the call.

I roll around in my bed, giggling like a little girl and withholding a scream. There's only one person I want to share this with and I waste no time calling him.

"Good afternoon, sweetheart." He answers, his accent sounding like music to my ears.

I grin, "Hi, handsome." I can only imagine the smirk on his gorgeous face.

"To what do I owe the pleasant surprise?" He asks, and I can almost see him reclining himself in his office chair.

"I got it!" My voice gets louder, "I landed the part in the play!"

"You did? Congratulations, love!" I can hear the excitement in his voice. "I'm so proud of you, Caroline."

"I couldn't have done it without you." I reply, "Thank you."

"No, you did all the hard work." His voice is soft, "I'm taking you out tonight. We have to celebrate." There's a slight pause. "I know the perfect place."

"I just wanted to share the good news." I say, glancing over at my clock. "But I would very much love to see you tonight." A hint of flirtatiousness envelops my words.

"I'll pick you up at 8 o'clock." Nik replies, "I look forward to seeing you." His voice takes a sultry tone and my body responds in delight.

"See you tonight."

* * *

I twirl in front of the mirror, running my hands over the green satin dress as I examine the way it molds to my body. I pop in my earrings and give my hair a few final touches before I'm interrupted by the doorbell.

The way downstairs is treacherous in high heels, but I manage to make it the front door without a problem.

Nik stands in front of me, his face illuminated by the porch light. His mouth parts slightly as he catches sight of me and I smile at him in a coquettish fashion, tilting my head to one side. He's dressed in a finely tailored black suit, his hair is perfectly styled and there's just the right amount of stubble on his face. His blue eyes register my figure, sweeping over me from head to toe as he extends his hand to me.

I laugh, placing my right hand on top of his and he playfully kisses it, looking up at me in a way that makes me tingle all over.

"You look ravishing, love." He says quietly as he closes the distance between us.

"You don't look so bad yourself." I reply, running my hand over his cheek and enjoying the prickly feel on the palm of my hand.

We lean into each other, and he places a long warm kiss on my lips. I can taste a minty flavor on his tongue as he wraps it around mine arduously.

"Are you set?" He whispers against my lips.

"Yes." I smile, quickly turning around to grab my purse before heading out the door.

* * *

We sit atop a hill in a quiet, elegant restaurant overlooking the ocean waves off the coast of Malibu. The dinner table is covered in a white tablecloth and decorated with flowers and candles. I look around, noticing the clientele are mainly couples. The waiter comes around with a bottle of champagne and doesn't hesitate to top our glasses.

After he retires, Nik leans over towards me, "I told him we were celebrating." He winks. "So tell me, love, when do I finally get to see you perform?"

I smile, taking a sip of champagne before answering his question. "Rehearsals start in a couple weeks. From the looks of it, performances won't start for another three months or so."

He stares at me intently, he doesn't say anything in return. His eyes are fixated on me, as he drinks from his glass. I raise my eyebrows, a bit confused by his reaction. After a few seconds, my mouth twists in a half-smile. "What is it?" I ask.

Nik blinks a few times, slowly revealing a charming smile. "You know I could take you anywhere you want."

My eyebrows furrow, "What do you mean?"

"If you wanted to do theatre in London, all you'd have to do is ask."

My mouth drops open and I gaze at him with wide eyes, "I could never ask you for anything like that."

He looks puzzled, "Why not?"

I smile incredulous, "Because." I pause, "Things in life don't come easy. I don't want to be handed anything." I look down at my half-empty glass.

"What if I want to take you?" He asks, narrowing his eyes in curiosity.

"You want to take me to London." I state.

Nik nods, "I want to take you anywhere you want to go."

I chuckle, "And I want to go anywhere you want to take me."

My respond causes him to laugh. The waiter comes by again, this time with our food. He sets our dinner plates on the table and then excuses himself.

I eye Nik, who's already starting to prod his food with his fork. "Next summer." My statement causes him to stop and look up.

A smile parts his lips and he nods, "Perfect."

Countless thoughts swirl in my mind as I eat my food. Nik hasn't exactly been himself since I got back and now this sudden want for me to go with him as far away as possible fills me with an uneasy feeling. He's always been sweet and attentive, but lately it seems like he's been pulling all the stops. Then I realize, he's also had so much on his mind and all I've been doing is worrying about myself.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow?" I ask, taking a break from my food.

"The last art show I had was short of a disaster." He replies. And then I remember Rebekah told me how Tatia embarrassed him in front of everyone. "I'm sure this one will be a success, however." He smiles.

"It's definitely much bigger than the last one, right?"

His expression grows serious, "Everyone who's anyone will be there. I need to do my best to impress them. There will be some very respectable artists and collectors there. The owner of one of them most important art museums in New York will also be in attendance."

"No pressure." I reply, raising my eyebrows.

He reaches across the table and places his hand on top of mine. "With you there, I have nothing to worry about."

* * *

He drives me to my place and we linger in the car for a few minutes before he decides to come inside. We're not even half way up the stairs, when he places his hands on my waist. I feel them wrap around me, warming to the touch as he walks behind me. I smile, knowing that he probably won't be going home tonight.

We walk into my room, dimly lit by the lights outside. The city lights in the distance make L.A. look like a magical place. I hesitate to flick on the bedroom light and Nik doesn't bother to do it either. He walks straight to my bed and lets himself fall back into it, his arms spread out to his side.

"Tired?" I mutter, struggling to reach my dress' zipper.

"A bit but not tired enough..." He replies, coming up to a seated position before noticing I need help getting out of my dress. He stands up, walking over to me in the darkness as the gentle lights from outside soften his features. "Let me help you with that, love." He murmurs against the back of my neck.

His fingers slide the zipper down effortlessly and he playfully slides the straps off my shoulders before letting the dress fall to the ground. I turn around, stepping out of it and begin to help him out of his suit.

"I love you, Caroline." His voice is hushed.

I kiss his lips before replying. "I love _you_."

Our mouths meet again, delivering slow tender kisses that rapidly evolve into hungry nips with our tongues darting in an out in a frenzy. He throws me over the bed, coming to rest on top of me as he continues his lips' trajectory to my neck and down to my chest. The night is still and tranquil before it becomes consumed by the sound of our moans and our heavy breathing.

* * *

I turn on my side, pulling the sheets over my shoulders and snuggle closer to Nik. He barely moves, the early morning sun blankets over us and the warmth is a welcoming change to the recent cold days.

He opens his eyes, smiling as he finds me wide awake. "You're amazing." His voice is hoarse.

"If you say that to me too many times, I might start believing it." I reply with a chuckle.

He laughs, turning over to the alarm clock next to my bed. "It's true." My lips press together, knowing that he'll be leaving soon.

"I have to go back home and finish up all the preparations for tonight." He says.

_I knew it._ A smile creeps on my face, "What time do you want me there?"

He looks down at me, "I'm sorry you have to go alone. I would love to have you there the whole time but I don't want you to be bored waiting for everyone else to get there."

I shake my head, "It's not a problem."

"I just know that I'm going to be really busy a few hours prior and I don't want you to feel abandoned." He smirks.

"Don't worry about it, just tell me what time you want me there." I smile.

"Six." He replies.

He takes a quick shower, and I somehow manage to fall back asleep for a few minutes. I open my eyes to see him walking out of the bathroom, water dripping from his hair and a towel wrapped around his waist. He gets ready fairly quickly and is out the door in less than 30 minutes but not before kissing me goodbye at least four times.

* * *

I arrive at the Museum of Modern Art, five minutes before six. My hair is draped in an elegant side-swept ponytail and I chose to add to my credit card debt by purchasing a beautiful navy blue night gown for the occasion. As soon as I walk inside, I'm amazed by the amount of people who showed up. I smile kindly at everyone who's nice enough to acknowledge me. I walk around for a while as everyone is enjoying free cocktails, when my phone starts ringing.

_Rebekah._

"Hi!" I answer cheerfully.

"Hi, are you there already?"

"I just got here but have no clue where Nik could be." I reply, eyeing the crowd in hopes of seeing him.

"I just got home from the airport." She sighs, "I'll get ready as fast as I can. Save me a seat at the table."

I smile, "Please, you're Nik's sister. No one needs to save you anything."

She laughs, "I'll see you guys soon."

"Ok." I reply, before hanging up.

"Good evening..." His voice caresses my ear and a smile splits across my face as I turn around. He places a soft kiss on my lips and takes a hold of my hand.

"To say you're breathtakingly beautiful would be an understatement." He looks me up and down in disbelief.

"Just for you." I reply with a wink.

He chuckles, "Let's go to the reception hall, shall we?"

"Rebekah called, she's running a little late." I state, following him as he guides me through the crowded room.

"I'm glad to hear my sister had the decency to notify one of us." He teases and I laugh shaking my head.

We enter the reception hall, there are tables set up with fancy appetizers in the center and glasses for each guest. We walk all the way to the front of the room and he shows me our table. I look around, there are place cards with each of our names. _Mine, his, Rebekah, Elijah, Kol, Esther. _And then my heart sinks when I read the last name there. _Tatia_. I try my best not to act surprised but the feeling of anger that fills me up is something I can't ignore. Nik never told me she was invited and the fact that I had to find out like this really ticks me off.

"Tatia?" I mutter.

He looks at me and then down at the floor. "I promise, I had no idea. My mother must have invited her."

I eye him suspiciously but choose to believe him. There's no reason for him to lie and I'm sure that Esther was more than happy to bring her along. I roll my eyes, bracing myself for a possible flop of an evening. _At least personally speaking._

After a few minutes the rest of the guests come into the hall. They take their respective seats and I see Kol and Elijah walk in with their mother. I smile at the two but don't even bother trying to play nice with the woman who obviously doesn't like me. When they reach our table, I shake Esther's hand in a courteous manner and then give Kol and Elijah a hug, respectively.

We chat about the exhibit and anything else that comes to mind. Tatia's seat remains empty and I find myself hoping that something has deter her from making an appearance. Nik gets up from his chair and heads to the front of the room. I smile when I see Patrick is there as well. He begins to talk about the exhibit and the different pieces on display, asserting the crowd that if any piece is of interest to them they should make sure it goes home with them tonight before it's too late. After a few laughs, he introduces everyone to Nik. I listen to him speak. He thanks everyone for attending and expresses his content for having the privilege to unveil his latest work. A sense of pride comes over me as I watch him work the crowd with charisma and ease.

"So everyone, please enjoy the evening." He finishes off, returning to his seat in a roar of applause.

"Congratulations." I lean in to whisper in his ear and he smiles back at me, showing off his trademark dimples.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up." Kol announces and I find myself too afraid to even glance towards the door. I hear the sound of heels clank against the floor and swallow hard. "It's nice to see you again, baby sister."

I smile, turning to find Rebekah standing behind me. I immediately stand up and greet her with a hug. "She's here." Her voice comes out in a faint whisper but I know exactly who she's talking about.

I look at her and nod in acknowledgement. "Glad you made it." I say with an uneasy smile.

She says hello to everybody else and takes a seat between me and Kol. Her blonde hair covers the right side of her face as she leans in towards me.

"I can't believe mother invited her." She scoffs.

"Nik said he didn't know." I reply quietly, hoping he didn't hear me.

Rebekah looks at her brother and smiles. "I'm sure he wasn't aware."

"I want to save myself the awkward situation of having to greet her when she gets here." I murmur.

"You and me both." She agrees and then her eyes light up. "Let's leave the table for a few minutes, at least until she takes a seat."

I smile. "Ok."

I look over at Nik who's busy discussing business with Elijah, while listening to Kol's smart remarks. I wait until there's a pause to lean into him and let him know Rebekah and I are stepping out for a few minutes.

We get up from our seats and make our way to the exhibit room. There are a few other people there, browsing the paintings and chattering amongst themselves.

"Is that you?" A young woman asks me, pointing to the picture on the wall.

I blush, "Yes."

"It's a gorgeous piece." She replies with a smile.

"Thank you. I'll let Ni-Mr. Mikaelson know."

Rebekah nudges me on the arm playfully. We walk around, admiring Nik's art as she talks about her time in Chicago. I tell her all about my audition to which she responds with enthusiasm and excitement. After about 20 minutes, we decide it's probably okay to return to the reception hall. We wait around by the hall's entrance, trying to see if Tatia is already seated.

"What's my mother doing?" Rebekah mutters under her breath as we watch Esther approach the front of the room.

"A speech?" I ask. "Seems appropriate."

"Hmmm. I still don't see her." She replies, still looking for the she-devil.

Esther begins speaking, "First of all, I'd like to say that I couldn't be more proud of Niklaus. I always knew his talents would take him far."

Rebekah huffs, "Yeah, right."

"Niklaus come up here." Esther continues, "It's a pleasure to be surrounded by so many respectable individuals as yourselves. Many of you business partners, colleagues, and loyal supporters of my son."

"Should we just go back in?" I ask, listening to Esther mumbled in the background.

"Wait." Rebekah replies, raising her eyebrows at the sight in front of us. We catch a glimpse of Tatia moving about in the other side of the room.

Esther's voice booms louder than before, "But seeing as he is too shy to speak up, I'll do the honors. It is my pleasure to announce that my son, Niklaus, and the beautiful Tatia Petrova-" She appears by her side as soon as her name is mentioned, "Are engaged."

I feel like I've just received a hard blow to the stomach. The air abandons my lungs in an instant as I listen to the crowd clap. Rebekah looks at me, stunned, her eyes wide and confusion spread across her face. I look back at Nik, standing in the front of the room with his mother and Tatia. He's quickly blocked from my sight by the people who got out of their seat to congratulate him. Tatia is smiling, no, she's laughing. The expression of glee on her face is like a knife gutting me deeper each time. She flashes her hand, showing off an engagement ring that sparkles enough to make anyone blind. I feel nauseous, I take a hold of Rebekah's arm, afraid that if I let go I'll plummet to the floor.

"How?" My voice is barely audible.

"Caroline. I have no idea what's going on but there has to be an explanation." Rebekah doesn't know what else to say. She looks at me with downcast eyes.

My vision becomes blurry as my eyes begin to water. _I can't cry. I must not cry. Not here._ I swallow, trying to rid myself of the knot in my throat. I look back and the excitement in the room is still in full force. The tears threaten to leave my eyes and in a sudden response of 'fight or flight', I run.

I barely reach the exit when I can no longer hold in my pain. I begin sobbing, trying and failing to control my tears. It's a pain I've never felt before, a pain I wish I never knew.

"Caroline!" Rebekah's voice reaches my ears as she runs to me. "Nik isn't like this."

I don't know what to think. All I know is that I feel betrayed and my chest feels like it's getting stabbed with needles. I told myself I wouldn't be taken for a fool and that's exactly what happened.

"I need to leave Rebekah. I can't be here. I need to get out of this place, this city..." My voice trails off as my makeup-tainted tears roll down my cheeks.

"Don't make any rash decisions. I'll take you home." She replies, helping me wipe the tears from my face. "I know there's more to this than what we just witnessed. Nik would never hurt you." Her tone is empathetic and she looks at me with sad eyes as I nod.

"I want to go home." I say between sobs as she holds me in a tight embrace, trying to calm me down.

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**Don't hate me you guys! Please review and let me know what you think.**

**I'll try my best to update within a week! **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Just updating you all real quick. Thank you so much for the reviews! :) The next 3 chapters are going to be from Nik's POV, so bear with me! For those wondering, I have 18 chapters planned for this fic, so the end is near. This is by far the shortest chapter but quality over quantity, right?**

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**Chapter 14: Aftermath **

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"You knew this was going to happen!" My voice roars accusingly as I pin Elijah against the wall. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The street was nearly vacant as everyone who had attended the opening of the exhibit had already left. My mother and Tatia had been smart enough to keep themselves occupied with friends to avoid any confrontations with me. The whole night was now a blur. I seemed to have made quite the impression on the museum owner from New York but aside from that I can't recall specifics.

"I promise you, I was unaware of their scheme." He remains calm and collected, eyeing a passerby who does his best not to pay attention to what's going on.

Kol remains standing to the side, watching us with narrowed eyes. He too seem to be doubting Elijah's words but I knew my brothers well and Elijah was no liar. If anything, he was terrible at it.

"He's telling the truth." Kol chimed in, echoing my thoughts. "This must all be mother and Tatia's work. They make quite the pair."

I let go of Elijah's collar and he straightens out his suit before running a hand through his hair. I look at both of them, neither of them has an explanation, neither of them knew what was going to happen tonight.

"Well," Kol pauses for a while, thinking his words thru before continuing, "At least the exhibit opening was a success." He mutters quietly.

I roll my eyes, at this point my priorities are somewhere else. I shake my head, thinking of what might have happened if Caroline had been sitting at that table.

"Did either of you see Rebekah or Caroline?"

"They never came back to the table." Elijah replies, a serious demeanor plastered on his face.

"Nik," Kol's voice is disconcerting, "The announcement was pretty loud and clear, it's quite possible they heard it, wherever they were."

"I'm sure they left right after. I didn't see them all evening." Elijah agrees.

My jaw clenches, the two women I care about the most in this world were probably detesting me at the moment. I look down at my watch. _Past midnight_. "I have to talk to her."

"Maybe it's better if you let her sleep on it." Elijah's suggestion, although reasonable, has no effect on me.

"I can't wait until morning. I have to talk to her now." I reply stubbornly, heading over to valet to wait for my car.

"Good Luck!" Kol shouts and I nod in acknowledgement.

* * *

I pull up to their driveway close to 1 a.m., some of the lights in the house are still on and my heart races at the thought of seeing her beautiful face. My mind runs wild with thoughts of what I'm going to say and how I'm going to explain everything. All I want to do is hold her close, kiss her and reassure her that she's the only one I want.

The porch light flickers as the wind outside intensifies and I ring the doorbell a couple times, placing my hands in my pockets nervously. I look over at the darkness around me, waiting for an answer. I'm about to ring the doorbell one more time, when I see a silhouette approaching me from behind the textured glass. There's a slight hesitation before the door begins to open slowly.

I see Rebekah's pin straight, blonde hair make an appearance as she comes between the narrowly opened space. She treats me like a stranger, barely opening the door for me to see her. I crinkle my forehead. _She knows_.

"What are you doing here?" Her tone is cold.

"Rebekah, I need to see her." I reply with begging eyes.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She counters, as if the problem here is the time of day and nothing else.

I ignore her response. "Can I come in?"

She scoffs, "You really fucked this one up, Nik." She looks at me with dagger eyes and it makes me sick to think that Caroline must be feeling a million times worse than her. "She cried so much to the point of exhaustion. There were still tears running down her face when she fell asleep." Rebekah looks down, "How could you do this to her, Nik?"

"They're all lies, Rebekah. What mother said tonight wasn't true. You have to believe me."

"Really? And the ring? Tatia was wearing an engagement ring, Nik." Her voice while reprimanding is slightly hushed.

"She must have bought it. I wouldn't be surprised if mother bought it for her. I don't know. All I know is that I did not give her that ring because I'm not marrying her." I lean my face closer to the opening on the door as if closing the distance will make her understand. "I swear to you, I have an explanation for everything. If I can't talk to Caroline, then at least let me talk to you." I plead, "Please."

She contemplates my words until finally she opens the door wide enough for me to come inside. I make my way to the living room and she follows close behind without saying a single word, until we're both seated on the sofa in front of the fireplace.

"You better have a good explanation for this." She mutters.

I look down at my hands, ashamed for not taking action sooner. I had a chance to defend myself and contradict my mother but I chose to keep quiet instead and now I had to deal with the consequences.

"The problem with the company..." I begin, "They suggested marrying Tatia in order to save it." She looks at me with raised eyebrows, waiting for me to continue. "I declined. I thought it was over at that point. I didn't know they were going to take it a step further."

"When did this happen?"

"When both you and Caroline were out of town." I look at her face, studying her reaction.

"This happened a few weeks ago and you're just now telling me?" She asks, offended.

"I tried to tell you, Rebekah, but since you practically vanish into thin air whenever you have a performance–"

"Oh, don't even dare pin this on me!" She counters. "You could've gotten a hold of me somehow, and you know it! Why didn't you call the hotel and leave a message?"

I shut my eyes, regretting my decision to not tell her. "I didn't want to bother you. Besides, like I already told you, I thought that had been taken care of. I didn't know mother would take it this far." And that was the truth, I was naive enough to think that they would just give up that easily.

Rebekah comes to her feet, walking over to the mini bar and pouring us both a drink. There's a silence in the room as she thinks my words over. She hands me a small glass of whiskey and she takes a seat once again.

Her voice is much softer and relaxed now, "Why didn't you tell Caroline?"

_Why didn't I tell Caroline? Because I'm an idiot. Because I didn't think it would be a problem._

"Why didn't you explain things to her so she would be prepared for this bullshit?" She takes a sip of her drink.

"I didn't want to worry her. I was stupid enough to think I could shield her from this. Now I know how big of a mistake that was." I say before gulping down my whole drink. "Everything that was said tonight, the announcement, the ring, it was all a lie. I had no idea it was going to happen."

Rebekah looks at me with kind eyes but after a few seconds her expression changes and her gaze takes an accusing turn. "Why did you wait until now to come talk to her? We've been home for hours."

I furrow my eyebrows. I might not be guilty of tonight's events, however I am guilty of not responding immediately. "I'm an idiot Rebekah. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Obviously!" She counters, again in a hushed voice as to not wake Caroline up, "What is your problem? Is your stupid art show and keeping up appearances more important to you than her?"

I shake my head vigorously, "No. Of course not. You know I love her. It pains me to know I've cause her any heartbreak."

"She needed you, Nik. She needed you right then and you chose to stay behind and play their little game." Her words were full of disappointment.

"I know I messed up. They both knew how important this event was for me and they chose the timing perfectly. They knew I wouldn't cause a scene." I concede. "And I know it's useless to say this now, but if I could go back and change things, I would. I would drop everything and run after her."

Rebekah's gaze is fixed on me and the corner of her mouth twitches as my words sink in. She nods, "I know you love her and I believe you, Nik. I know you're saying the truth."

I finally smile, relief washing over me as I realize what this means for me and Caroline. "Thank you... for listening... and for understanding."

"I still think you should give her time, at least a couple days. Let me talk to her first, she'll be more willing to listen to you afterwards. I promise I'll help."

I nod and take a deep breath. Our heads snap up at the same time when we both hear the same footsteps coming down the stairs. My heart begins pounding at an exhilarated pace, knowing there's only one other person in the house. I come to my feet and Rebekah shakes her, trying to hinder me from going to her.

"Rebekah?" Her sweet tender voice calls out to her from the other room. She sounds drained.

I ignore my sister's words about giving her time, I need to see her this instant. My feet move before my head finishes a coherent thought. I step outside of the living room and she freezes in place. Her eyes widen at my sight, red and swollen from crying so much. My chest tightens, knowing that I'm responsible for her pain.

Neither of us say a word, we share glances in silence. Her blonde hair is tied up in a ponytail and she's wrapped in a blanket, her bare feet planted on the wooden floor. I think twice about moving closer, she's like a defenseless little animal and I'm afraid she'll run off as soon as I make a move.

I swallow hard and take a deep breath before taking a step towards her. She doesn't move. I'm halfway across when she finally let's out her first words.

"You need to leave." She says coldly.

"Caroline, I'm sorry." My reply is weak, far less than what I want to say.

She looks down at the floor. "No, Nik. _I'm_ sorry." Her eyes once again make contact with mine, "I'm sorry that I let myself be taken for a fool once again. And I'm sorry that I believed your lies."

"It's not like that. None of it is true, sweetheart." I continue walking to her until I have her close enough to touch. "You have to believe me. What happened tonight was all a lie. I was just as surprised as you."

Her eyes show confusion. "If it was all a lie, why didn't you say anything?"

"I know there's no excuse for that. And I wish there was a way for me to rectify it." I mutter. "I love you Caroline." I hesitate before bringing my hand to her cheek, but before I even make contact she pulls away.

"Where's Rebekah?" She asks.

I don't have to answer, my sister does it for me. "I'm right here, Care." Rebekah comes out of the living room, slowly making her way to her.

"Nik, I think it's best if you leave. It's late, we need to sleep." She say, placing her arm around Caroline's back.

"Rebekah–"

"I promised, remember? It's going to be okay." She gives me a hug.

I make an abrupt decision after she lets go and wrap my arms around Caroline, holding her in a tight embrace. Her sweet smell envelops me immediately. "You're the only one for me, love. Don't you forget that." I whisper against her ear.

She looks at me with downcast eyes, and I make no other effort to continue with my explanation. I trust that Rebekah will help me, after all, she's never let me down.

* * *

**A/N: My plan is to update again, mid-next week! Hope you guys have a great weekend and I appreciate the comments ;)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Another chapter from Nik's POV. You guys' reviews make me so happy, you're the best readers ever! ;)**

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**Chapter 15: When It Rains, It Pours**

* * *

I wake up feeling groggy and without energy. I feel like there's no reason for me to even consider making the best out of my day. Remembering Caroline's face and the way her eyes looked at me, with so much hurt, so much disappointment and pain, makes me sick to my stomach. I turn to my side, eyeing the alarm clock. _8:20 a.m._ I reach for my phone, determined to call the office and let them know I won't be coming in until Monday.

There's a 'missed call' alert on the screen along with a new voicemail message. I get overcome with anger when I see who they're from. _This girl just never gives up_. I'm tempted to delete it without listening to it. Her, along with my mother are the culprits behing all my recent misfortune. After a few moments of pressing the delete button and then canceling it, I decide to listen to what she has to say.

_Niklaus, I'm so sorry about last night. I don't know _

_what I was thinking. Or better yet, I wasn't thinking. I'm_

_really, truly sorry. I promise to make it all right again._

_Please have lunch with me. I want to help you clear things_

_up with Caroline. I promise this will be the last time _

_I'll ever bother you. I'm sorry, Nik. I'm so sorry._

The message ends abruptly and without warning. I'm taken aback by her words. She sounds desperate but I don't know if I can believe her. After everything she's done, she doesn't deserve any more chances. I roll over in bed again and bury my face in the pillow, all I want to do is sleep.

* * *

An hour later, my phone wakes me up. It rings non-stop, until I open my eyes and reach for it. I look at the screen, my blurry vision adjusting slowly to the text.

"Goddamn it!" I mutter.

After a few more rings, I finally pick up. "You have some nerve, calling me."

"Niklaus, please listen to me." Tatia pleads, theatrically as always.

"What do you want?"

"I want to make amends. I'll explain everything at lunch." She's persistent.

"I've already talked to Rebekah and Caroline. They know the truth. I don't need or want your help." I reply in a rough voice.

"Really? And what are you going to do when they see what your mother has done?" She asks and it immediately perks my interest.

"What do you mean?" I come to a seated position on the bed, sliding my legs off the side.

"You think she already showed the ace under her sleeve? No Nik, she has more planned." She replies. "All I want to do is help, but if you don't want to listen to me then fine. Good luck trying to explain things to your precious Caroline, without me."

"Wait!" I clench my teeth, "Fine, I'll go to lunch with you."

She chuckles, "I promise you won't regret it."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." I counter.

"Trust me. This is in your best interest _and _Caroline's." She hangs up without saying anything else.

* * *

I arrive at the restaurant 10 minutes early, as soon as I step in, the greeter flashes me a smile. She keeps staring at me intently as if wanting to ask me something. I smile at her, slightly furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"I'm sorry, you just look very familiar." She says in a mousey voice.

"I don't know where you'd know me from." I reply with a shrug.

She smiles a bit embarrassed, after a few seconds she says, "I've seen you in the paper a few times, in the business section..."

"Oh." I answer, "Yeah, well... definitely not by choice."

Her lips press into a straight line and she quickly grabs a couple menus and directs me to my table. I look down at my watch, _12:30 p.m._, I glance up to see Tatia walking in through the door, she spots me immediately.

Her walk is smoothly calculated, a smirk present on her face as she makes her way to the table. I don't want to look like an inconsiderate asshole, so I get up from my chair until she takes a seat.

"Hi." She says, grabbing the menu and perusing it without uttering another word.

"I'm only here because you said you had something to tell me." I say quietly, trying not to get agitated.

"I want to apologize for last night." She begins, "I made a terrible mistake by agreeing with Esther." She places the menu back on the table and the waitress comes around to take our drink order.

I notice the ring on her finger, my demeanor changes completely. I narrow my eyes, "Why are you still wearing that?" I point at it.

"It was a gift." She rolls her eyes, "A lot of women wear a ring on their finger without necessarily being engaged or married." She takes a sip of her drink, a faint smirk visible on her face. "It helps keep away the creeps."

I raise my eyebrows, "I really hope you're not playing any games, Tatia."

Her eyes widen and she tilts her head as if I'd just accused her of something hideous. "Look, I'll talk to Caroline about it. I'll tell her the whole truth."

"You said my mother had other plans. What are they?"

"Can't we order first?" She interrupts.

"You can order, I'm not here to eat."

She pouts, "Fine, Nik. You don't have to be rude about it."

I chuckle mockingly, "Start talking."

"You care about your family don't you?" She begins, "We can fix it, you know?... The company... it doesn't have to go to bankruptcy."

My jaw tightens, "You don't have any info about my mother, do you?" I shake my head in frustration.

"I've always been in love with you." She mutters.

I laugh, "You've got to be kidding me. You had me come all the way over here for this?"

"What is it about her, that you're willing to let your family take a fall like that?"

"You make it seem like my family will be going from having a home to sleeping in the streets. The auto company isn't the only source of income we have. We can get through this with or without your help." I get up from my seat. "Thanks for wasting my time."

"Wait!" She comes to her feet. I drop money on the table and walk away without waiting for her to say anything else. I hear her footsteps behind me as I step into the sidewalk. "Nik..."

I turn around, "I've had enough! I don't want anything to do with you. I just want you to leave me alone."

Her hand comes up to touch my shoulder, "Okay, just let me do _this_ one last time." She lunges into me, pressing her lips against mine for a few seconds before I pull away.

* * *

"Have you talked to her yet?" I ask, leaning up against my bed frame. My room is slowly darkening as the sun outside begins to set.

Rebekah's voice comes through the speaker, "I did."

"And?"

"She's feeling a lot better today. Honestly Nik, at this point she's just upset that you didn't have the balls to stand up to our mother." She admits.

"But she'll forgive me." I reply with a smile.

She chuckles, "She'll forgive you."

"Thank you, for talking to her and for everything else. I owe you..."

"Yeah, well... you can pay me back by making my best friend happy."

"That's easy enough." I reply, "I'll come by tomorrow evening."

"See you then."

* * *

I wake up late the next day. A smile appears on my face, when I think of seeing my pretty little blonde again. I take a shower and head downstairs to make a cup of tea. I leave the water boiling in the kettle and head to the door to pick up the morning paper. Everything seems brighter, better, and I chuckle thinking it's probably just my chipper mood that has me seeing things differently. I make my tea and throw the paper on the table, smiling like an idiot once again, wanting the time to pass quicker.

I prop my feet up on the chair across from me, swirling the bag of tea in the steaming water as I open the paper to the business section. I read through the columns and articles before my eyes come in contact with my worst nightmare. I feel like all the blood's been drained from my body as I see the picture. It's me. It's me and Tatia outside of the restaurant yesterday afternoon. Below, the caption reads: _Businessman and entrepreneur Niklaus Mikaelson and fiancée Tatia Petrova, still enjoying the bliss of their recent engagement._

I place my hand over my face, leaning over the table. _This can't be happening._ This is the last thing I needed, a picture of me kissing Tatia will only complicate things more. My eyes widen, I quickly turn the pages of the paper until I reach the engagement section. I slam my hand on the table, causing the tea to spill everywhere. I get up from my chair and run upstairs to change, determined to do some serious damage control.

By the time I'm done and ready to go, my doorbell rings. It's incessant, one ring after another, and my heart begins racing. I get to the door, noticing Rebekah waiting outside. I don't have a chance to speak as soon as I open it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She yells, shoving me out of the way with force.

"Rebekah–"

She cuts me off immediately. "There is a girl at home who is in pieces because of you, you asshole!" She rages on, opening the newspaper she's holding in her hands. She shows me the picture, putting it up to my face until it's so close I have to pull away.

"I can explain."

"You can explain! Really Niklaus?" She shakes her head, huffing in anger and pacing back and forth.

"It was a set-up. I fucked up again."

Her laugh comes out in a condescending tone, "Tell me something I don't know. You're kissing her!" She says in disgust.

"She's kissing me." I interrupt.

"Whatever. The picture speaks for itself."

"I'll explain everything. Sit down." I order, taking her to the living room.

"You said you were set up? How the hell did you even end up in the same place as her? Why is she wearing that stupid engagement ring?" I've never seen Rebekah so angry before. She's fuming, running her hand through her hair and I'm assuming, trying to restrain herself from punching me in the face. "Caroline pulled out of the musical this morning."

"What?"

"She doesn't want to owe you anything, Nik." She says dryly. "I hope you're happy."

"I will fix this..." I mutter.

"So what is it? What kind of stupid explanation do you have this time? Do you have to go along with her game and kiss her now? Act like you're in love?"

"This isn't what it looks like. She kissed me unexpectedly." I say.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. What a horrible thing." She openly mocks me.

"She said she was going to help me. I was naive enough to believe her lies again and this is where it got me. I suppose I had it coming." I reply, looking down at the floor sheepishly.

Rebekah looks at me with narrowed eyes, anger still evident in her gaze. "I can't believe you were so stupid." She mutters.

I tell her everything that happened in a matter of minutes. I don't stop to listen to her input, instead I place my hand up until I finish speaking. I'm desperate to get out of this mess and I know she's the only one that can help me.

She shakes her head, "You really outdid yourself this time, Nik."

I don't refute it, I know this is all my fault. "I need you to help me."

"I'm not doing this one on my own. You're coming with me." She presses her finger against my chest. "You're going to explain _everything_ to her."

* * *

As soon as we get to the house, she runs in front of me, unlocking the door at a quick pace.

"Go ahead!" She says as I scurry inside the house.

"I'll go get her. She's probably in her room."

I let out a deep breath, shaking my leg around nervously as she runs upstairs. After a few minutes of silence, I begin to worry. I pace from one corner of the room to the other, waiting for them to return downstairs. I hear the footsteps coming down the steps and when I look up all I see is Rebekah.

"She doesn't want to talk to me." I state.

Rebekah shakes her head, "No, Nik. She's gone."

My head snaps up and I feel my heart sink into my stomach at the news, "What do you mean she's gone?"

"I mean, she's not in her room. All her clothes are gone and the only thing that was on her bed was this note." She lifts up a lined piece of paper with writing on it.

I run upstairs, taking the note from her without asking.

_I'm sorry Rebekah, I can't do this anymore. I can't be in a place where _

_everything reminds me of him and what he's done to me. Thank you for _

_lending me a helping hand when I needed it the most and thank you for _

_such a wonderful friendship. I need to put distance between me and him, _

_I'll get in touch with you when I see fit. I hope you understand. _

_-Caroline_

"Where do you think she's gone?" My words come out shaky.

"She doesn't have anybody else here. The most logical place for her to go would be back home." She replies with downcast eyes.

I run back downstairs and make my way outside.

"Where are you going?" She yells.

"I'm taking the next flight out to Virginia." I reply, before shutting the door behind me.

* * *

**What do you guys think? I'd appreciate your feedback. As for the next update: I'm going to be quite busy this weekend so I apologize in advance for the delay! You still love me right? xoxo**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Wow! Some of you did not like the last chapter. I understand, I wasn't expecting you to be happy about it but I wasn't prepared for some of the reactions. It's the first time this happens so it was very unusual yet quite interesting, nevertheless I love reading you guys' feedback. All I can say is, you can't experience joy without knowing misery ;) Ok, here's the latest chapter! And I'm very sorry for not updating sooner!**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Holding On**

* * *

"I'm sorry, we're all sold out." The petite blonde behind the counter looks at me, almost expecting me to blow up on her.

I clench my teeth and twist the corner of my mouth, "You can't be sold out," I mutter. "I'm positive someone just purchased a ticket not too long ago." I try to remain calm, even though the situation is only irritating me more by the minute.

"Sir, it's quite possible that person purchased one of the last few remaining seats on that flight."

I chuckle, unimpressed by my bad luck streak. "Okay, then get me a ticket on the next flight."

She starts typing, her eyes alternating between the screen and me. "The next flight isn't until tomorrow morning."

I raise my eyebrows, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Sir, Yorktown is a small town. The nearest airport is Newport News and even after you arrive, you'll have to take some other form of transportation to reach you final destination." She mutters, looking around nervously. "It's also very close to winter and the fact that they just had their first snow fall doesn't help the flight situation."

"What time in the morning?" My expression is sullen.

"11:30 a.m." She replies.

I nod, handing her my credit card without uttering another word.

* * *

Trying to find Caroline's home is like following a treasure map. As soon as I arrive at Newport News International, I promptly hail a cab and hand the driver the address. The recently fallen snow makes the driving longer than it's supposed to be and a 30-mile drive suddenly feels like an eternity. The radio plays cheery Christmas music as I look out the window, observing the array of decorated houses on the way.

"It looks like the road up ahead is closed." The cab driver alerts me as he points to the roadblock a few yards away.

I huff, "I guess I'll have to continue on foot." I reply, unbuckling my seatbelt.

He gets out of the car and opens the trunk so I can take out my duffel bag. "The house you're looking for is about 2-3 blocks from here, just continue in that direction," he points.

"Thank you." I press my lips together in a half-smile.

As the cab drives away, it leaves behind a cloud of white powdery snow. I begin my trek past the roadblock, feeling my feet start to sink immediately. I smile, shaking my head and realizing how absurd this whole situation is.

When I enter the neighborhood, it's almost as if I've been transported back in time. The structures look antique but very well preserved. I'm quite impressed by the look and feel of it. I walk past the small town square, where kids are playing on a makeshift snow mountain. A large Christmas tree sits in the center, towering over everyone and to my amazement it suddenly lights up, along with all the streetlights along my path. I check my watch and realize it's now 6 p.m. in this side of the country.

I continue walking and my heart begins pounding as I spot the address number on one of the homes; a two-story small but quaint house with ivory colored walls. My pace begins to diminish, the closer I get to the doorsteps. I take a deep breath and slowly make my way up to the porch. I'm tempted to peek through the window but my better judgement keeps me from doing it.

I ring the doorbell, tapping my foot against the creaky wood below me. The handle begins to jiggle, until the door finally opens and I'm greeted by a woman with short blonde hair. Even though we'd never met, I knew all there was to know about Elizabeth Forbes. Caroline always talked highly of her and with such love and admiration that it was difficult not to like her.

"Can I help you?" She smiles, looking up and down at me and staring at my soaking shoes. Her forehead crinkles as she notices the duffel bag hanging by my side.

"Good evening," I begin. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a bother but I'm actually here looking for Caroline."

She narrows her eyes and her smile disappears, "Judging by your accent, I'm guessing you're Nik."

I smile and then immediately regret my gesture. She must think I'm scum, especially after everything Caroline's probably told her about me. "Yes." I mutter. "Niklaus Mikaelson." I extend my hand.

She looks down at it and then back up at me and even though she hesitates, she eventually reaches out and shakes my hand. "Elizabeth Forbes," she says. "Look, Niklaus–"

"No, it's fine. You can call me Nik." I interrupt.

She raises her eyebrows, "Okay, Nik... I'm sorry you had come so far for this but I'm afraid Caroline's not here."

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. "You mean she's still in L.A.?"

She opens her mouth and then regrets the words that are about to come out, instead she lightly shakes her head.

"Look I know Caroline's your daughter and as so, you're entitled to think monstrosities of me because everything paints me as the bad guy. But I can assure you that there's been a huge misunderstanding." I pause, watching her fidget. "If I really were guilty of hurting her, I wouldn't be here right now. I would know better than to seek her out."

A moment of deep silence takes over and I can almost see the internal battle she's going through. After a few seconds, she responds. "Why don't you come in?" She asks, allowing me to step foot inside her home.

The warmth envelops me as I walk down the hall, following her to the living room. I look around, eyeing the portraits on the wall and smile when I catch sight of a school picture of a ponytailed Caroline with glasses. Elizabeth invites me to sit, the Christmas tree in the corner blinks in sequence with the a barely audible tune playing in the background.

"Caroline told me everything that happened between you two." She says, eyeing me with a serious demeanor.

"And I know that you have every right to doubt my words." I begin, "But I came here to make things right with her. I can't possibly go on knowing that she thinks I betrayed her trust."

She nods, "Tell me, Nik. Why should I allow you to see my daughter again?"

I take a deep breath before telling her everything.

* * *

"Wow." She says, seemingly impressed by my account of the events.

"That's why I'm here. Caroline thinks that I lied to her, she thinks that I purposely played with her feelings but that is not the case."

"I believe you." Elizabeth looks at me, her eyes reflecting the same sentiment.

Those three words fill me with hope. "I love your daughter more than anything in this world. You don't know how much your support means to me."

"Caroline's a good girl and deserves the best." She smiles. "And I don't know what it is but there's something very honest about you that makes me feel like you're worthy of her." She pauses, "Don't make me regret my words."

"I promise, I won't." I reply.

She sighs loudly, looking around and noticing she never offered me anything to drink. I politely turn down her offer, at this point all I want to know is where I can find Caroline.

"You said she wasn't here." I hum.

She shakes her head. "Now, you have to be understanding of this."

I furrow my eyebrows, wondering what she means by that. "Of what?"

"Tyler came by this morning. He somehow got air of her being back in town, even though she's only been here about a day." There's a certain calmness in her voice that transpired onto me. "He convinced her to go with him to her childhood town. She was hesitant at first but he promised he was just trying to be a good friend to her."

"He knows why she came back?" I ask.

She presses her lips together, "Caroline was crying when he showed up, so he got the idea pretty quickly. Although, I'm sure he doesn't know everything."

My jaw clenches, "Where can I find her?"

"Nik. You have to promise me you're going to deal with this like an adult."

"I'm just here for her, I couldn't care less about him." I reply with certainty.

She nods, "Okay. They went to a tree lighting event in Mystic Falls, about 10 miles down the road. It's supposed to start at 9 p.m."

"How long do you think it'll take me to get there?"

She looks at me and smiles, "You're going to walk there?" There's an incredulous tone to her voice.

I shrug. "Do I have any other choice?"

She laughs, "Can I trust you with my car?"

"If you can trust me with your daughter, I think your car's pretty safe with me." I say with a chuckle.

She walks down the hall towards the door and I follow close behind. She unhooks the car keys and hands them to me.

"Thank you, Elizabeth." I say, clenching the keys in my hand.

"Please, call me Liz." She replies, opening the door for me.

* * *

The town square in Mystic Falls is filled with people. There are carnival games set up and the tree is yet to be lit. I look down at my watch, noticing the start of the ceremony is only 10 minutes away. I tighten the scarf around my neck and rub my hands together, trying to warm my cold fingers. I walk through the mass of families and young kids drinking hot beverages and enjoying the festivities. Caroline is nowhere to be found.

After a few minutes, the music stops and the sound of a mic check interrupts the silence. I look up at the podium that's been set up on a small stage next to the tree. A tall dark-haired man smiles at the crowd as he begins to speak. I pay no attention to what he's saying, instead, I focus my sight on each of the faces gathered around trying to spot my pretty little blonde. After a few moments, the giant tree lights up and the crowd erupts in cheers and applause, causing everyone to disperse about. Every glimpse of blonde hair causes me to do a double-take but they're all in vain.

"Hot chocolate?" I turn around to see a young brunette girl with almond eyes smiling up at me as she holds a tray of cups.

I raise my eyebrows, "Uh, sure." I reply, pulling out my wallet.

Before she leaves I make a feeble attempt to seek out information. "You wouldn't happen to know Caroline Forbes, would you?"

She purses her lips, furrowing her eyebrows in deep thought. "Caroline..." I roll my eyes, figuring she probably has no idea who I'm talking about. "We used to be really good friends in elementary school before she moved to Yorktown." She replies. "But she usually comes around every time we have an event."

"Okay. Um... is she here?"

"I'm actually not sure but I can ask Damon, he knows pretty much everyone."

"That'd be great. Thanks a lot–"

"Elena." She says with a smile.

I sip on my hot chocolate, continuously searching the crowd before I'm approached by the same dark-haired man who was just at the podium. He looks at me suspiciously but smiles when he greets me. "Hi, I'm Damon."

"Damon, I'm Niklaus. I'm actually here looking for Caroline Forbes. It's really important for me talk to her and I was just wondering if you knew where I could find her."

"Well, you're in luck because I just saw her not too long ago with Lockwood." He looks out into the distance. "There's a small park past the square. I'm pretty sure that's where they were headed." He concludes.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"No problem." He pauses, "Although I'd be careful, wouldn't want to interrupt anything." He raises his eyebrows and grins before walking away.

I gulp, my blood already starting to boil at the thought of this Tyler guy trying to make a move on Caroline. I finish my hot chocolate and throw the cup in the trash before making my way in the direction of the park.

The noise from the town square begins to die down as I leave it behind. As I continue walking, a tiny flake of snow lands on my nose, quickly turning into water at the touch of my warm skin. I look up, noticing thousands of flakes starting to rain down on me. I place my hands in the pockets of my jacket and stop as I notice two figures sitting on a bench underneath a lamp post.

Her golden locks are unmistakable, even though her face is obscured by her own shadow. She is wrapped in a large coat and her head covered by a knit beanie hat. She literally takes my breath away, as I struggle to keep my composure. It isn't until she looks up and smiles that I realize she isn't smiling at me. Her eyes are fixated on someone else in front of her. I gulp, watching him sit next to her and place an arm around her. My stomach is in turmoil as I watch him close in on her, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder. I take a few more steps, this time I get close enough for him to notice me. I'm surprised to see his appearance; he's definitely not the type of guy I've ever imagined Caroline to date. Then again, at this point there's only one man I can ever picture her with.

"Caroline." My booming voice causes her head to snap up in an instant.

Her eyes become wide like the moon above us and her lip quivers, as I watch her struggle between a smile and a frown. The snow continues falling down but my eyes are focused on her beautiful face.

"Nik." She mutters and then turns back to look at Tyler.

"Caroline, love, I need to talk to you." I say, taking a few more steps towards them.

Tyler quickly stands up, without notice. "You have no right to be here." He raises his voice.

I look at him and huff, "I'm sorry but I'm not here to speak to you."

"Yeah well, Caroline doesn't want to talk to you." He counters.

I look down at her and she looks down at the ground, nervously fidgeting and avoiding my gaze. "Sweetheart, please..."

She looks up at me, "Nik, why are you here?"

"You left before I had a chance to explain myself. All I want is a few minutes of your time." I say in a pleading voice.

"She's not going to give you a few minutes, as a matter of a fact, she's not going to give you any of her time." Tyler approaches me in a menacing manner, his dark eyes narrowing.

"You need to back off." I warn him, "This isn't any of your business."

"Both of you, stop!" Caroline interrupts.

"Love, just a few minutes." I say again.

"You lied to her! You played with her feelings and now you think that whatever excuse you have will make things right?" Tyler's accusations start flying out of his mouth, he stands in front of me, his chest mere inches from mine.

I tiny smirk appears on my face, as I notice my height advantage makes him look like a child. "_You're_ going to lecture _me_ about lies?"

"Don't try to turn things around. I'm better than you and you know it." He spits out, bumping his chest against mine.

I tighten my jaw, my breathing becoming heavy and my anger rising to new levels. "You'll never be half the man I am." I mutter.

His hands press against my chest as he pushes me away.

"Tyler, stop it!" Caroline yells, coming to her feet.

"Listen to her, Tyler. You don't want to do this." I warn.

He tilts his head, looking at me with dagger eyes. His nostrils flare and before I'm able to say anything else he tackles me to ground. I can hear Caroline's screams asking him to stop, and even though I want to be the better man, I know he's crossed the line. I quickly push him off of me and come to my feet. His anger is palpable, he strikes at me and fails miserable to deliver a punch.

I grab him by the collar, "You should've listened to me." I say between gritted teeth.

I let go and take a swing, hitting him on the jaw and causing him to lose his balance. He struggles to remain upright but continues delivering empty punches until he tackles me to the ground once again. This time his fist connects with my right eyebrow, opening a gash that starts bleeding immediately. I rolled him over, gaining control over him and punch him again, splitting his lip. Caroline continues screaming until I hear other voices surround us. We're pulled apart, and it's not until I'm being held against my will, that I notice Damon is the one that has a hold of me.

"Easy!" He says in a loud voice. "Both of you need to calm down!"

I look at Tyler, his mouth is bleeding but he continues to struggle against his restrainer. He wants to break free; if he could kill me, he probably would.

"Help him get cleaned up, Stefan." Damon orders as the man holding on to Tyler nods.

"I can't leave Caroline." Tyler mutters, looking over at her.

"I'm so disappointed in both of you right now." She says, giving both of us a reprimanding look.

"Caroline, do you want to come with us?" Stefan asks with raised eyebrows.

She looks at me and then at Tyler, trying to decide what to do. Damon lets go of me after he notices I'm no longer fighting to free myself. I remain motionless, waiting for her reply.

"Tyler," she begins, "I need to speak with him."

I try to conceal a smile. Tyler snorts in anger as he breaks free from Stefan's grasp. "Don't believe a word, Caroline."

"Come on, let's go." Damon says, grabbing a hold of his arm and taking him away.

* * *

The drive back home is filled with silence, Caroline doesn't want to hear anything until we arrive back at the Forbes residence. Needless to say, Liz is less than pleased by the sight before her.

"What happened?" She asks shocked as we walk towards the living room.

"Tyler." Caroline replies.

"Nik, I said to deal with it like an adult." Her voice is chastising.

"Yeah, well he didn't leave me any other choice." I say with a smirk.

She shakes her head, "I'll go get the first aid kit."

When Liz returns she hands the kit to Caroline and she looks up at her, her mouth slightly parted. "You two have a lot talk about."

"Mom..."

"Listen to him, sweetie. I already did." She says before leaving the room.

Caroline dabs a cotton ball in alcohol and applies it to the gash on my eyebrow. I pull away instinctively as the liquid produces a burning sensation. "Don't pull away, you should've thought about this before getting into a fist fight."

I smile, "Well, if I knew that's what it would take for you to play doctor, I would've done it a long time ago."

She presses the cotton ball against me with greater force. "This isn't a joke." Her voice is stern.

"Thank you." I begin, "For agreeing to speak with me."

She nods, lightly patting my wound. "Keep pressure on it," she commands as she begins cutting a piece of gauze. I watch her, contemplating her features. It had only been a couple days since I'd last seen her but I had missed her terribly. Her blue eyes glance over at me for a quick second before continuing her task. "Okay, let me see." She covers my wound with a layer of ointment and then places a thick piece of gauze over it, securing it with medical tape. A slight smile appears on her face, "That's as good as it's gonna get."

We stare at each other in silence. All I want to do is take her in my arms and taste her lips. I look down at them, pink and plump as they slightly part, releasing a very weak exhale.

"I love you, Caroline." My words cause her demeanor to change and she scoffs loudly at my confession as she rolls her eyes. "I do." I say again, taking her face between my hands.

She bites down on her lip and slips my hands away. "You said you wanted to talk. So talk."

I nod, retelling my story once again and hoping against all odds that she'll be convinced once and for all that I'm innocent.

* * *

"I know it's a lot to take in." I say, watching as she plays with one of the rings on her hand.

Caroline looks at me with soft eyes, "What did I ever do to them for them to hate me so much?"

"I guess some people revel in the misery of others." I look down embarrassed for my own mother's actions.

"I do believe you, Nik." She admits, placing her hand over mine.

A smile splits across my face, "I love more than anything and I promise I won't ever let anything else come between us. It's just you and me from now on, sweetheart. Once we get back to L.A. we'll get you back on track with everything."

She looks away with downcast eyes. "I said I believed you. I never said I would go back with you."

My eyes widen, "I need you by my side, love. What do I have to do?"

"I don't want to give you an ultimatum, Nik, because I know she's your family and I would never ask you to choose between me and someone you love..." She pauses, "But I can't go back to L.A. with you, knowing that she'll always be threat to our relationship."

I nod, "I understand what you're saying."

"I think there are a lot of things you need to figure out first. Until then, we can't be together." She concludes.

"I won't give up on us, Caroline. You're the only woman I will ever love and I want nothing more than to be with you."

Caroline nods, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "I love you, Nik."

I feel a rush of warmth invade my body as I hear the words and I know I can no longer keep myself away from her. She lets me get close enough to taste her lips and I relish on the feel of her skin as I press my forehead against hers. "I will come back for you." I whisper and she releases a sigh as she continues pecking at my lips.

* * *

**I will try to push out another chapter this week. As many of you know, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, so I'm not making any promises! Thank you so much for keeping up with my story, I appreciate it tons! **

**Please let me know what you thought of this chapter xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I actually had time to squeeze in some writing at the beginning of this week :) I didn't want to leave you guys waiting for an update much longer. This chapter is significantly shorter than the last and I initially thought of merging it with Chapter 18 but I think they stand better on their own. Thanks for your continued interest in this story. Enjoy & happy readings!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: New Ventures**

* * *

I loop my tie around, perfecting the knot as I stare at myself in the mirror. A smile creeps on my face, as I realize everything I've worked for has come to this. A rush of adrenaline runs through my body, knowing very well that what I'm about to do will impact not only my own life but that of the ones around me. The call took me by surprise, after everything that had happened between me and Caroline, my art ventures had been put in the back burner. One minute I was talking business with Elijah, the next I was seriously contemplating the idea to pack everything and move to New York.

"You take longer than me to get ready!" Rebekah's voice blasts through the house and down the hall, until it reaches my ears.

I smirk as I listen to Kol's input on the matter. "Yeah, Nik! We don't have all night!"

I grab my jacket in a rush and head downstairs to meet them. They both stare at me as I walk down the steps, Rebekah looks anxious, Kol just looks impatient.

"Are you ready to do this?" Rebekah asks with a hint of concern.

I nod, "I owe it to Caroline and to myself."

They both look at each other and smile. "It was nice knowing you, brother." Kol says mockingly.

Rebekah punches him in the arm. "It'll be fine, Nik."

* * *

We arrive at the hotel soon after the scheduled event time. As soon as we walk in, we are immediately escorted to the patio, where tables have been set up for all the guests, the trees are adorned with Christmas lights and lanterns hang from one end to the other, creating a square around the seating area. I look around, every business partner we've ever been involved with is there. Photographers and journalists are seated on the table next to the stage. Elijah is seated with our mother and Tatia, I raise an eyebrow, resisting the urge to smirk.

"Time to face the music." Kol mutters, as he walks in front of us, expecting us to follow.

Rebekah pats my back and gives me a comforting look. I let her go before me and I make it a point to greet people at each table before heading to my own.

"So are you finally going to tell me what this is all about?" My mother asks, as I remain standing between her and Elijah.

"Not quite yet, mother. You'll find out soon enough." I reply cryptically.

I make my way up to the stage and greet everyone as a whole. After thanking them for attending, I urge them to enjoy their dinner but still keep quiet about what kind of announcement I will be making tonight.

Needless to say, our table is the most silent in the whole patio. There are brief exchanges between my mother and Tatia, mainly unimportant and petty remarks about what people are wearing and who they're with. I look over at Elijah and he nods lightly, giving me a knowing gesture as Rebekah leans over and whispers, 'good luck.'

The waiters come around, pouring champagne into flutes and I take this as my queue . I grab my glass and take a deep breath, heading over to the stage for a second time.

"Good evening, once again." I begin, "I know most of you are wondering why I've gathered you here, two days before Christmas. But I assure you you'll appreciate it, especially if you've yet to buy gifts." I chuckle, I hear Rebekah and Kol react to my statement, however everyone else looks at each other with confusion.

My mother looks unimpressed. She'd been grilling me about the event since the moment I told her about it. The fact that I've been keeping everything under wraps has only made her grow more suspicious.

"As many of you know I manage the hotel chain owned by my family. At first its acquirement was a bit of a struggle, but with the help of my siblings, we've been able to expand and watch it grow exponentially." I look over at Elijah and tip my glass to him.

"The first announcement I'd like to make tonight, is that we have recently closed a very lucrative deal that has now added vacation home rentals to our list of properties. These will be available in all major cities in the U.S. and a few locations abroad." The crowd claps and chatter begins, "But don't worry, I'm not here trying to get you to buy shares. That's not what I meant by purchasing gifts." They all laugh and I look over at our table, noticing my mother's demeanor hasn't changed.

"I'm here to let you know that although the hotel business is doing amazingly well, better than we had ever projected... Our auto export company is crumbling to the ground as I speak." I can hear the gasps from our business partners at the news and my mother's eyes widen as she looks over at Tatia, seeking some sort of comfort in her eyes. She takes a hold of her hand, eyeing me nervously.

I can see our business partners, some who are large shareholders, shoot surprised glances at her. The chatter in the room grows louder as I stand there taking in the damage. These people had no idea their money was in jeopardy and now they're being faced with the fact that their years of investments have gone down the drain.

I take a second to gather my thoughts and also enjoy the look of horror on my mother's face. I knew this was something she was trying to avoid at all costs, after all, these were the people that were making her money day after day.

"But I'm sure my mother got in touch with each of you to discuss the situation. After all transparency and honesty are the two principles she lives by. Isn't that right, mother?" My words are cold and careless. "And by the way, speaking of honesty..."

"Niklaus!" My mother interrupts from the table, eager for me to step down and stop talking. She comes to her feet, heading to the stage before Kol grabs her arm and convinces her to take a seat.

"Don't mind her, she probably just had a bit too much wine with dinner." The crowd is frozen, not entirely sure what is going on but too intrigued to get up and leave.

I continue, "Here's a funny story for you all. A couple weeks ago, at the opening of my art exhibit, my mother announced that I would be marrying Tatia Petrova." I pause, "For those of you who don't know, Tatia's family owns a very successful auto export company as well. She's actually here, gracing us with her presence this evening." I tilt my glass to her and smile tauntingly. Her eyes flutter around before settling on the ground. "Well the funny thing about all this is that I don't remember ever actually proposing."

Tatia buries her face in her hands as my mother gives me a menacing look.

"Everything you read about my engagement, was all a very elaborate and I have to admit, perfectly executed, set-up by these two _respectable_ women. Needless to say, their attempt to save the company through these means fell flat. See," I pause, "This is why you can't believe everything you read or see in the media. There's always a real story behind every misconstrued picture."

The crowd starts snickering and shooting glances at Tatia and my mother. I watch the expression of joy in my siblings' face. Even Elijah, who at one point thought their idea was the answer to our problem, looks at me with pride. Kol raises his eyebrows, discretely giving me a thumbs up.

I smile and continue on. "I don't want to keep you all here much longer so I'll just go ahead and wrap this up as fast as I can." People quiet down once again, "Elijah." I say, motioning for him to join me on stage, which he does immediately. "A few days ago, I received a call from a very good friend in New York City. He made an offer that I just couldn't turn down. You all know art's always been my number one passion, so when this individual presented me with the opportunity to partner up with him in the opening of a new museum, I took it in a heartbeat."

Elijah, pats me in the back in a congratulatory manner and the crowd produces very weak claps in response.

"I'm stepping down as CEO of the hotel chain and granting that position to my brother, Elijah." I pause for a second, "Now, I know you have reasons to be skeptical of this move but I can assure you he's the best man for the job. I trust him and I know that business will continue flourishing under his command."

I set my glass down and give Elijah a hug, "Don't let me down, brother." I whisper in his ear.

"I won't." He replies.

"I believe those are all the announcements I had lined up." I take my glass, "Cheers! and Merry Christmas!" I raised my glass up and take a swig but everyone in the audience is hesitant to celebrate. Most are worried about what this means for them monetarily, while others are still shocked by the news of the fake engagement.

* * *

"That was unacceptable, Niklaus! How dare you humiliate me like that in front of all our business partners?" My mother's raging voice is heard across the parking lot as Rebekah and Kol climb into the SUV.

I turn to her with a sullen expression, "I thought you'd enjoy a taste of your own medicine."

"This isn't a game. Those people are never going to invest with us again."

"They will. They might not want to deal with _you_, but as long as you no longer partake in business, it'll be okay."

"You're asking me to leave the company?" She asks incredulous.

"I'm asking you to do it for the sake of your family. If you stay, you'll only cost us money. You don't want to end up in ruins, do you?" I lift the corner of my lip in a half smile.

"I see what you're doing. You think you're so smart turning the tables on your own mother." She spits out in anger.

"You were the one playing dirty from the start. Your lies and public humiliations almost cost me the love of the only woman I've ever loved. I would say we're pretty even now." I hop into the vehicle and shut the door before letting her say another word.

The SUV speeds off into the street and I finally allow myself a sigh of relief as I lean back into the seat.

"That was excellent!" Rebekah's enthusiasm is like a breath of fresh air.

"I agree, it was quite entertaining. Although, I do feel a little bad for mother." Kol chimes in.

"Oh come on Kol, she had it coming." She retorts.

"I'm just glad it's over." I say, looking out the window as the city lights pass us by.

"So you're moving to New York. Is Caroline going with you?" Rebekah's words are tainted with sadness.

"Yes and I hope so." I say.

"You're moving in together?" Kol mutters.

"No, I don't think she's ready for that quite yet."

"Great! Because I would love to move to New York." He laughs, poking my ribs with his elbows.

Rebekah's eyes widen, "Hey! I want to go to New York too!" Her signature pout appears on her face as she waits anxiously for my input.

"We can't decide Caroline's life for her. What if she doesn't want to move? I'd be more than willing to do a long distance relationship, but at the end of the day, it's her decision." I purse my lips.

"She loves you, Nik." Rebekah says softly, "There's no way she's going to say no."

"You think so?"

"Let me take her." Rebekah offers, "I'll go with her to New York and she will love it. Please, Nik!"

I look at her unconvinced, "You just want her as a roommate."

"Obviously! She's the closest thing I have to a sister. Think about it, it would be perfect!" She smiles from ear to ear. "Just say yes, you know you want to."

I chuckle, "Fine. Just don't mess this up."

"No. _You_ don't mess this up!" She replies.

I give her a bewildered look, causing her to giggle.

* * *

**Please take a moment to leave me a review, I'd really appreciate it. **

**Expect the next update sometime on Wednesday :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hey everyone! Finally updating! I meant to do it earlier today but didn't find time until now. Better late than never, I suppose ;) Technically this is the last chapter of this fic and it makes me kinda sad to wrap it up but all things must come to an end. I feel like it's come full circle; I started the story from Caroline's POV and I'm ending it that way as well. Hope you guys enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Big Apple**

* * *

"New York." I state, pressing the cellphone against my ear.

The Christmas tree in the corner of the room blinks continuously as night begins to fall in my side of the country. Multiple feet of snow cover the ground outside my window as I watch my mother step out of the car with a giant grocery bag.

"Yes, New York! You know, that city in the Northeast with enormous skyscrapers and millions of city lights and billboards." Rebekah laughs on the other end.

"Funny!" I reply, sticking out my tongue, even though I know she can't see me. "But I don't know. What's in New York that you want to go so badly?"

"You're kidding right? It's basically the best city in the U.S., not to mention it's home to this little thing called Broadway!" She yells, causing me to pull the phone away from my ear.

"But it's also ten times more expensive than L.A., why do you think I never tried living there?" I reply.

"Care, our family has hotels scattered all over the country. We can stay wherever we want and you don't have to pay a thing."

I turn to look at the door as my mother steps inside, she smiles, making her way to the kitchen as she casually waves at me.

"And when would this trip take place exactly?" I mumble.

"As soon as possible."

I curl myself on the sofa, contemplating her offer. After everything that's happened and what Nik and I have been through, taking anything from the Mikaelsons feels almost wrong. However, I can't deny that the idea of visiting NYC is something that's been on my bucket list for a long time.

"Well tomorrow is Christmas, so it can't be that soon. I want to spend it with my mom." I reply, twirling a strand of my hair as I wait for Rebekah's answer.

"I was thinking we'd go in a few days. I'll make reservations for the both of us for Friday." She squeals with excitement. "I'm so excited to see you again. I miss you!"

I smile wide, "I miss you too. And about the reservations, you don't have to pay for my ticket. That'd be too much, you're already helping me out with the free hotel stay."

"Caroline, this is my way of apologizing for everything my mother's done to you. I know things have been rough for you and Nik." Her voice is soft.

I take a deep breath, "You don't have to apologize for anything. But I really appreciate it." I concede.

After more talk about New York, Rebekah tells me what Nik did to clear up the misunderstandings about his supposed engagement with Tatia. I couldn't help smiling and at some points laughing, just imagining their faces at his declaration. I knew then, Nik was being serious about making things up to me and my heart leaped at the thought of him coming back for me, like he promised. I hadn't spoken to him since he left and frankly, I was surprised he hadn't gotten in touch with me to tell me what happened.

"How is he?" I ask a bit concerned.

"He's been really busy, packing and getting things ready to move to–" She pauses for a second. "His new place. He recently bought a new place." She says promptly.

"I haven't heard from him."

"He'll get in touch with you very soon, trust me." She says gently, "He misses you very much, Care. He hasn't been the same since you left."

I feel a sudden warmth invade my body as my chest flutters at her words.

* * *

The days goes by in a flash. I'm amazed at how understanding my mom is about the whole situation; at times I feel like she's in on this plan with Rebekah but then I realize I'm just being paranoid about the whole thing.

The airport is buzzing with people, the mood is different as everyone is saying goodbye and getting ready to fly back home. The Christmas season is officially over and the warmth and magic of the holiday is slowly fizzling away. While mostly everyone is dressed in their best, I'm dressed for comfort; wearing a pair of jeans and an old high school hoodie with my pair of glasses sitting atop my nose. I look down at my phone, impatiently waiting for Rebekah to get in touch with me.

As I walk up to the counter, I hand the ticket agent my ID and wait for her to print me a boarding pass. My luggage is small enough to pass as a carry-on, so I head straight to my gate as soon as I receive my ticket. The security check is surprisingly quick, and as I gather my things to head to my designated gate I get overwhelmed by an all-too-familiar feeling.

Once again, I'm on my way to a city so large it can swallow me whole. The destination, although familiar, is unexplored territory. I take a seat, allowing myself to get overcome by excitement and uncertainty. Who would have thought my life would change so drastically in just two months? The vibrations in my pocket and the sound of an easily recognizable tune bring me back to the now. Yes, this journey is familiar but this time I know who I'll be meeting when I arrive at my destination. I smile.

"Hi!" I answer gleefully.

"I just landed." Rebekah replies, and I can hear the sound of an intercom in the background.

"I'm waiting at the gate. My flight seems to be on time so I hope I don't keep you waiting for too long."

"I doubt it, your flight is fairly short. I'm going to grab a bite to eat. Text me when you board."

"Sounds good." I reply.

We say goodbye and I check my watch. _30 minutes til departure time_.

* * *

As soon as we land, I notice the gloominess from inside the aircraft. It's evening now but I can tell the city didn't see the sun at all today. Tiny specks of snow flow through the air and the runway looks freshly clean. It's obvious the snow has been cleared in order for flights to continue operating during the winter months. I'm one of the first people to get off the plane. _Apparently the Mikaelsons don't believe in coach seating_. I feel the crispness of the air as soon I step into the loading bridge that connects the plane to the gate. I step aside for a minute and slip my hoodie back on. My glasses fog up as the warm air from inside the airport makes contact with them. I take them off quickly, looking away embarrassed at how ridiculous I must have looked.

I board the airport's tram to the luggage claim area and call Rebekah as soon as I have a chance. Her phone rings a few times before sending me to voicemail. I figure she's probably busy and decide to wait for her to return my call. It's a short walk to the baggage claim area from where the tram drops me off. I take a seat in one of the chairs and am about to call Rebekah again, when my phone starts to ring but it quickly goes silent before I even answer. I look at it confused.

"Caroline!" My head snaps up at the sound of her voice and I notice she's just getting off the escalator.

She walks speedily towards me and without saying another word takes me in for a long embrace.

"I'm so happy to see you again!" I exclaim, letting go of her and noticing she's not carrying any luggage.

"Tell me about it!" She grins, "You have no idea how lonely the house has been without you."

"Sorry about that." I reply sheepishly. "I know it wasn't the best way to let you know I was leaving, but–"

"Don't worry about it, it's over and done with." She looks around the terminal and then points to one of the luggage carousels. "I need to get my bags."

"Bags?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

She smiles without saying a word.

Six bags; to say Rebekah overpacked for the weekend would be an understatement. The airport attendant stacks them up neatly and we follow him to the exit. We wait for what I'm assuming is a cab, but instead we are greeted by a driver in a large black SUV.

I chuckle, "Why am I even surprised right now?"

Rebekah only grins as she slips into the backseat of the vehicle. I follow, listening to the instructions she gives the driver.

"Hi, we're going to 954 on 5th." She smiles at the driver through the rearview mirror and he simply nods.

If I thought traffic in L.A. was bad, New York is on a whole other level of insane. I watch the sea of people as they walk down the street. It's so cold outside that their breath is visible even when they're not speaking. The city is now completely lit as the night sky turns an ominous black. I look over at Rebekah and then back at the pieces of luggage in the trunk.

"We are staying here just for the weekend right?"

She smiles, "Yes."

"Got a little carried away with the packing?" I joke.

"Ok," She begins, "You're staying here for the weekend. I might have slightly different plans."

I crinkle my forehead and tilt my head, looking at her intrigued.

"Don't ask me about it yet. You'll know soon enough." She beams.

I nod and even though I'm eager to find out more, I do as she says and don't press for more information.

* * *

The building's bellman promptly greets us at the door and begins stacking Rebekah's luggage and my one suitcase on the cart. I stare up in awe, gaping at the building, its immensity making me dizzy the further up I look.

"Your family owns this place?" I ask in shock.

"Only part of it."

The bellman hands Rebekah a ticket. "Call us when you're in your room and we'll bring the luggage up right away."

"Thank you." She says with smile and then perks up her eyebrows as she motions me to follow her inside.

The attendant at the check-in desk has her sign a few documents and after some brief chatting she gives her a series of keys and shakes her hand. I'm too far to hear the instructions she's giving her but I notice she points to the elevators on the other side of the lobby. Rebekah comes back with a look of excitement on her face.

"Let's go." She exclaims.

The elevator doors open and we step inside but she quickly stops the doors from closing.

"She only gave me one key!" She says in an annoyed tone.

"What about the other ones she gave you?" I begin to step out of the elevator.

"The key cards are for garage and elevator access but she only gave me one actual key for the penthouse. Here." She hands me the key and a card, "I'll meet you upstairs. 40th floor!"

"But–"

"I won't be long." She says, racing back to the front desk.

I step back inside as the elevator doors close in front of me. The floor numbers start at 25 and only go up from there. I push the button to the 40th floor with the word "Penthouse" right next to it. The elevator doesn't move, instead the screen prompts me to slide my elevator access key along the flashing slit on the side. I swipe it quickly and sure enough, it starts moving, slowly at first until it reaches maximum speed. There's a ding as soon as it stops and the doors slide open. There's only a few feet of space separating the elevator from the door to the room. I take the silver key and unlock it.

My immediate reaction is childlike, my mouth drops open at the beauty in front of me and I walk around slowly, inspecting everything in sight. It's a gem of a place, with a clear view of Central Park. It's decorated with modern furniture in beautiful warm chocolate hues. Curiously enough, several of the lamps are on, it's not until I walk further inside that my nose catches the lingering smell of freshly cooked pasta. I crinkle my forehead, looking around cautiously. I continue walking, until I arrive at the bedroom.

The door is cracked and I lightly push on it with my hand, noticing this room is also lit. I step inside, surprised but relieved to find it empty. I make my way back to the living room, determined to just sit and wait for Rebekah to come up, but the smell of food perches my curiosity even more. I find my way to the dining room, finally discovering the source of the smell.

Two plates of what seems to be homemade ravioli sit on the dining table, as waves of steam emanate from each. There are six lit red candles in the center and next to it is an unopened bottle of champagne on ice. My heart starts racing, and I don't even know exactly why. As I get closer to the table, I notice the scattered rose petals lying on the surface of the table cover. I reach my hand out, taking a hold of one of them and bringing it up to my nose. It feels like velvet in my fingers and the aroma is delicious.

"Good evening, love."

I freeze as soon as I hear the words delivered in his smooth English accent. My heart start thumbing harder and I realize my breathing has become sharper. I look at the large window in front of me with wide eyes, the city lights blare, making it almost impossible for me to make out his reflection.

"I know this wasn't what we had planned." He says, this time taking a few steps towards me.

I set the petal back on the table and bring my hand up to my glasses, adjusting them nervously as I take a deep breath and turn around. He smiles at me, his dimples only adding to his devilishly handsome looks. He's wearing an expensive designer suit and donning hair so perfect, he looks like he just stepped out of the pages of a men's magazine. And here I am, dressed in jeans and a pullover hoodie, too lazy to pop in my contacts and instead wearing my dorky glasses.

"Nik." I mutter, a smile spreading across my face. He stands before me and I close my eyes as I feel his sturdy embrace.

"I missed you." I say, putting my arms around him. He smells divine, a smell I've been deprived of for far too long.

"Not as much as I've missed you." He places his fingers underneath my chin, tilting my head back slightly as he brings his lips to mine. The fresh minty taste of his tongue, only makes me feel that much less prepared for the situation. I pull away slowly, smiling back at him.

"I obviously had no idea." I say, looking down at my choice of outfit and pulling on my sweater.

He chuckles, "You look beautiful, sweetheart." He says as he playfully lifts up the temple of my glasses, "I haven't seen these in a while."

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" I ask, remembering our first meeting. He nods with a flirtatious look on his face.

He looks over at the table as if suddenly remembering there's food. "Are you hungry?"

I grin, "Did you make this all on your own?"

"I did." He answers with a smile.

"I didn't know you could cook." I tease.

He pulls out the chair for me to sit, "Well, I'm glad I haven't given away all my surprises."

A smile spreads across my face, "It looks delicious."

He takes a seat across from me, "If I do recall correctly, you're a fan of ravioli."

I nod, amazed by his efforts and impressed by his good memory.

"Shall we?" He asks.

I look at the plates. "What about Rebekah?"

"My sister's probably all settled in at her place, drinking wine and watching TV by now." He states, not taking his eyes off me for one second. "I'll explain over dinner." He says in response to the look of confusion on my face.

* * *

I glance out the window, taking in the sight as I wait for Nik to finish pouring the champagne. I was so hungry, I ate every scrap of food on the plate; the fact that it was perfectly cooked only made it that much more satisfying.

"I have something for you." He says with a mysterious smile.

My eyes grow with excitement, "What?"

He tilts his head towards the bedroom as he holds the two glasses in his hands.

I perch an eyebrow, "Smooth." My tone is mocking but playful.

He laughs, "That's not what I meant." He hands me my glass of champagne, "Well... not entirely."

I shake my head and laugh, as I follow close behind.

He takes my hand, bringing me close to the bed. I hop on, taking small sips of my champagne as I watch him open the closet door. Nik reaches up to the top shelf, bringing down a small rectangular box wrapped in Christmas paper.

"You didn't." I say, feeling like the worst person ever for not getting him anything.

"I had to." Nik replies, handing me the box. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

I open my mouth but nothing comes out except for a loud exhale, masked by a grin. I set my champagne glass on the nightstand and wrap my arms around him before giving him a kiss. I begin picking at the edges of the paper, carefully unwrapping the box. I stare at him as I lift up the cover and audibly gasp when I see its content.

"It's beautiful." I say, running my fingers over the sparkling diamond bracelet.

Nik takes a seat next to me on the bed. "You think so? It somehow looks less radiant now that you're holding it."

I laugh, a hint of blush appearing on my cheeks. "Always such a charmer."

He smirks but his expression soon turns serious as he looks me in the eyes. My gaze is fixed on him as he takes the box from my hands and sets it next to my champagne glass on the nightstand.

His hand cups one side of my face, "I love you, Caroline." He says gently as his hand provides my cheek with comforting warmth.

"I love you too, Nik." I reply, "I never stopped loving you."

He smiles at my confession and gently presses his lips against mine. The heat between my legs makes its presence known immediately the more he kisses me and I toggle at his jacket until it slides off of him. After a few minutes he pulls away, taking a hold of my glasses and removing them from my face. I giggle, as he sets them down next to the bracelet. He kicks off his shoes and I follow his queue, watching him loosen his tie and throw it to the side of the bed.

"Where were we?" He says before parting my lips with his tongue and reclining me back against the fluffy, soft pillows atop the bed.

I can feel my heart beating faster as my need for him increases with every touch. The adrenaline fills my bloodstream as his hands slide underneath my clothes. The feel of his fingers caressing my sides causes me to shiver. He kisses me with more urgency, his hands sliding higher up my side until his thumbs make contact with the cups of my bra. He breaks away, leaving me heaving with parted lips as he grabs a hold of my sweater and shirt and peels them off my body at the same time.

I bring myself to a seated position, gazing at him as I unbutton his shirt and remove it from his body. My hand runs down his warm chest and I can feel it rising and falling as his breathing intensifies. I unbuckle his pants, continuing my trajectory further south. I touch him, feeling his hardness against my fingers as I gently bite down on his lower lip. His groans are exhilarating, only increasing the moisture between my thighs. My center is pounding and aching with need and I know he's just as ready as I am.

Nik brings his face close to mine, his delicious lips ghosting over my mouth as he smiles. I feel his fingers over the skin of my back as he unhooks my bra with ease. He slides the straps off my shoulders until it falls off and continues to run his hands over my breasts causing my nipples to perk in response. He pushes me back on the bed and continues to rid himself of all his clothing. I watch him intently as I unbutton my jeans and strip them off. His hands grab the edges of my panties as he pulls them down my legs. He glides his mouth over my navel, teasingly nipping at my skin as his hands grab a hold of my breasts. I arch my back at the feeling, breathing heavily and moaning every time he applies pressure to them. His mouth finally reaches my chest and he takes his time with each, filling me with jolts of pleasure with every lick of his blazing tongue. I hold on to his hair and wrap my legs around his hips, his hardness pressing against my center.

"I've missed you so much." He says before pushing himself into me.

I gasp, feeling his length inside me for the first time in a long time. We've only just begun and already I feel like I won't ever get enough of him. He plunges into me over and over, every time more satisfying than the one before. I run my lips over the nape of his neck, my tongue tasting his skin as I whimper and plead for more. As he continues to grind into me, I feel a rise in my body temperature. I know that I'm close to my release and I beg him not to stop. He continues his movements until I'm moaning incessantly, my fingernails slide down his back until they latch on to his hips, guiding him in and out of me. I feel the warm liquid drip down my walls as he begins to slow down his pace. I'm breathless, a glowing, satisfied expression on my face. Nik takes me in his arm, flipping me over on the bed.

I smile down at him as I move my hips up and down his hardness. His hands travel up my thighs and settle over my ass as he begins bucking his hips, I bend over towards him taking his savory lips in my mouth as I feel myself getting closer to finishing once again. I bring my hips down to meet his at a fast but steady pace. The feeling is indescribable, as endless waves of overwhelming satisfaction wash over me; it's like a continuous burst of elation every time he drives himself into me.

He holds me close to his body once again and after a few seconds I carefully unmount him. I lie on my side, with my back to him and he closes in on me from behind. A satisfied groan escapes his lips as he fills me up again. I feel his heart beat raging against my back and his heavy breathing produces swirls of sultry air against my ear. His arm wraps over my body and he slides his hand over my stomach before settling it between my breasts. I tilt my head, watching him as he gets closer and closer to his release. I hear his heaves of pleasure as he empties himself into me, moving in and out of me a few more times before coming to a slow halt. The friction of our bodies creates a layer of perspiration between us and we remain latched on to each other until I unknowingly lose consciousness.

* * *

I wake up the next morning, still lying naked underneath the sheets. I open my eyes, my vision too blurry to see clearly past six feet in front of me and quickly reach for my glasses. I notice Nik's not occupying his side of the bed, in his place is a white blank envelope. I wrap myself in the covers and sit, resting my back against the headboard. My fingers touch the cold edges of the paper until I take a hold of it. I glance at it front and back before opening it.

Inside is an invitation to a Members Only private Broadway event. I crack a smile but remain confused by its meaning. I notice there's a business card attached to the back and furrow my eyebrows, puzzled.

The door to the room swings open and Nik walks in wearing only a pair of flannel pajama pants. His disheveled hair tells me that he's probably not been up for long.

"Good morning." He says, beaming at me as he comes closer.

"Morning." I reply with a smile and raise up the invitation, "What's this?"

He smirks, "_That_ is my apology for everything I've put you through."

"But you've already apologized."

"Yes, but I was also at fault for ruining your opportunity to star in your first play." He mutters, coming to take a seat next to me on the bed.

I furrow my eyebrows, still not completely understanding what this means. My expression is self-explanatory and he smiles with a nod.

"We're meeting the casting director after the show. He did say not to expect any big parts at first. But a start is a start, right?" He grins.

I look at him incredulous before laughing, ecstatic over the news. "But how is this going to work? My mom–"

"Rebekah already spoke with her, she's known for a few days now."

I laugh, "I knew it! I knew she was being a little too supportive of this trip."

"It's all up to you, love." He smiles, "I don't want to rush you into anything so if you're happy with the living arrangements we had in L.A., Rebekah's in need of a roommate here as well."

I bite down on my lip, deeply considering his words.

"So what do you say, sweetheart? Do you like the Big Apple enough to follow me here?"

A smile spreads across my face, "I love _you_ enough to follow you anywhere."

He takes me in his arms and as I rest my head against his shoulder, my eyes catch sight of the city that I'll be calling home, hopefully for many years to come.

* * *

**Now, I said it was "technically" the last chapter because I do have an Epilogue planned out. You'll get one more update for this fic sometime next week. Until then, please leave me a comment with your thoughts! :) I look forward to reading them! xoxo**


	19. Epilogue

**A/N: OMG! I'm updating a day early! I feel so accomplished right now, you guys have no idea. I really hope you guys enjoy this last piece of writing for this story. I had so much fun planning everything out and writing each chapter. Plus, your reviews made the experience that much more enjoyable. You all were so kind and hilarious with your comments. I LOVE YOU! Thank you so much for sticking with it til the end. I will be forever grateful. **

**This is from Caroline's POV & be warned, there is fluff.**

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

I could feel my heart beating erratically, one moment it was pacing normally, the next it was pattering faster than ever before. My breathing kept alternating between moments of relaxation and bursts of anxiety. _I'm a mess; a happy, ecstatic, nervous mess._ I focus my eyes on the view outside, crystalline blue waters surround a splendid mass of white sand beaches as servers dressed in a combination of white and emerald green walk back and forth: setting up chairs, fixing table cloths, arranging flowers. I take another deep breath, calming myself down for the thousandth time, hoping this time I can last in this relaxed state for longer than a minute or two.

"How are you doing?"

A voice comes from behind me, as the door to my room opens slowly. I turn around to see Rebekah wrapped in a beautiful turquoise dress, almost as vibrant as the ocean behind me.

"I'm dying!" I reply, smiling back at her and interlacing my fingers nervously.

Her smile widens as she walks towards me, one hand reaching out to me. "Just breathe. You've been preparing for this for a year now, it's going to be fine."

I nod, running my hands through my hair as I pull a chair in front of the mirror on top of the dresser. I'm still in my robe, afraid that if I put on that dress again for the fourth time, I'll do something to ruin it before it even gets a chance to see the light of day. A second later, there's a knock at the door. Rebekah opens it, peeking out and making sure that no one can look inside. She's been taking her Maid of Honor duties more than seriously.

Her head tilts and she smirks, raising her eyebrows for dramatic effect. "The hairdresser's here."

"Okay." I reply, finally realizing what great of a job the make up artist had done on my face. She somehow managed to make me look flawless without heavily sedating my face with makeup.

Rebekah clears her throat, "I'll back in a few minutes. I'm gonna go check on that dear brother of mine and see how he's doing." She pauses for a moment before continuing, "And I'm also going to make sure everything else is running smoothly."

"Thank you. For everything." I look at her with grateful eyes and she beams at me before nodding and shutting the door behind her.

I pull out the catalog picture of the hair style I had chosen months ago. We'd already had a test trial to see what it would look like on me but I didn't want to take the chances that the hairdresser had forgotten all about it. _How many brides had she worked on between then and now?_ My hair would be parted from left to right and pinned up only from one side, held up by a gorgeous rhinestoned hair piece that my mother had given me. It was a family heirloom and had been worn by my grandmother and then by her when she got married. Rebekah had presented me with the idea of adding some white small feathers to it in order to make it 'pop' more. I loved the idea but had to get my mother's approval first, which wasn't a difficult task.

The rest of my hair would cascade down in full, rich waves. Luckily my hair type worked quite well with that. The hairdresser props up the picture of the model on the crevices of the mirror and begins working on my hair. She starts asking me questions that instead of calming my nerves only intensifies them. I find myself fully retracing my relationship with Nik as I tell her about the day we met and how tumultuous our relationship became without giving away too many details. _Some things aren't worth retelling._

"How did he propose?" Her question is surprising, considering I had met her once before and she hadn't bothered asking me then.

I raise my eyebrows and smile, unable to contain my glee as my memory takes me back to that day.

* * *

_"I still can't believe something so astounding and beautiful like this exists." I said, stretching my arms overhead, bringing them down and placing them behind my head as I stared at the magnificence of the Eiffel Tower in front of me. _

_The sun was beginning to set and I knew the structure would be lighting up any second now. We remained still and in the same place as countless of people passed us by, many stopping to take pictures or just simply take in the sight before them._

_Nik smiled, looking at me like I was crazy but with those adoring eyes I never got tired of seeing. "I can't believe it either." He replied, his gaze glued on me._

_I gave him a playful punch on the side and he pretended like it really did hurt, causing me to laugh and continue to punch him even more. His laugh was contagious and only incited me further. He finally put his arms around me, taking me in for a long embrace and I buried my face against his chest, the smell of his cologne awakening all my senses. The air was beginning to feel more frigid and even though we were dressed for cold weather, it still seemed to penetrate the fabric down into my skin. I turned my face towards the Tower, still holding onto him, and my smile widened as it lit up, emanating a golden glow, with the dark gray night sky behind it._

_"Can you believe it's been over three years?" He whispered, with his mouth against the side of my head. _

_I looked up at him, smiling from ear to ear. "And I've never been happier." I placed my hands around his neck, running my fingers over his hair. "I love you."_

_My lips pressed against his, the heat was electrifying and I welcomed his warm breath as he parted my lips with his tongue. His kisses were something I knew I'd never tire of, the way his full lips clung on to mine, how his fiery tongue always found new territory to explore inside my mouth, but more than anything how just a single kiss could render me helpless to his every touch._

_We slowly pulled away, still breathing against each others' skin. "We have reservations, love." He said, as if not having any wouldn't have stopped us. Nik looked down at his watch, eyeing the time and pressing his lips in a straight line. "Well it's a good thing the restaurant is only about a block away." _

_I raised my eyebrows seductively just to see how far I could push his buttons. He laughed and shook his head. "Dinner can wait. Can it not?" I purred._

_He blinked a few times, looking up at the sky before shutting one of his eyes as if something had fallen in it. "Do you really want to make love in the rain?" He teased._

_"Do I..." I replied flirtatiously, pulling on his scarf._

_I snapped my head up, noticing tiny specs of water falling from the sky at a rapid rate. What started out as only drizzle, quickly turned into a heavy downpour. I screamed, pulling my coat overhead and cursing for not having an umbrella or even just a hood. Nik grasped my hand and we ran towards the first building across the street. By the time we got underneath it, we were both soaked. His curly blonde hair was now dark brown and dripping with water and as much as I tried to cover mine, it had been useless. We both looked at each other and laughed, seeing how vulnerable we had been to a simple little act of nature._

_"Where the hell did that come from?" I asked incredulous at how fast it had escalated._

_He tucked my hair behind my ear, smiling. "That was a rush, wasn't it?"_

_"Yeah, and now my hair's a mess and our clothes are damp. We can't go to dinner like this." I replied, running my hands over my coat and touching underneath to check if my clothes were as wet as they felt._

_Nik's face went sour. "But we have reservations." _

_I eyed him suspiciously, "We can always reschedule, maybe for tomorrow!" I tried to cheer him up, he was taking it a little too hard._

_He sighed loudly, "I'm starving." His sweet sad puppy face came in at just the right time._

_I rolled my eyes, knowing very well I just couldn't say no to him whenever he did that. "Fine." I relented way too easily and without protesting._

_He lit up immediately, taking a hold of my hand as we walked towards the restaurant, seeking cover from the rain as much as we could. I looked at the restaurant's facade, it looked way too fancy and classy for me to be dripping with rain water. We were greeted at the door and showed inside. Nik checked us in and we didn't even wait a minute before the hostess took us inside to our table. _

_I walked with my head lowered as I tried not to notice the looks people were probably giving us. It wasn't until we reached the room where we'd be sitting that I looked up. My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped when I saw everyone. My mother got up from her seat, as did my father, and I almost went into a full sob when they walked towards me and gave me a hug. It had been a long time since I'd seen them together ever since they divorced. I had so many questions that my tongue couldn't process any coherently. My only response was laughter and I placed my hand over my mouth as I looked around. Rebekah was there, Elijah, Kol, a few close friends Nik and I had made back in New York, and Esther. I looked at her and she relinquished a warm smile. That was the most genuine gesture she'd ever given me and I gladly accepted it. My heart was beating fast and my brain was scattering to make sense of it all. I went around and hugged everyone._

_"Oh my God, I..." My words were cut short, I didn't even know what I was saying. I shook my head in surprise, "I had no idea you guys were all here. But I'm beyond happy," I paused, "Not to mention confused." _

_I turned around with my hands on my hips, Nik had a bit of explaining to do. But when I took a look at him, explanations were the last thing on my mind. My smile disappeared and instead my mouth parted in shock and disbelief. My eyes must have been as wide as saucers and I felt a rush of emotions overcome me as tears threatened to abandon my eyes. _

_Nik was down on one knee, his hair wet and messy but his smile as charming and sweet as ever. Those cute, adorable dimples were marked on his face as he held on to a tiny black box between his fingers. I noticed the restaurant was dead silent, all the attention was on us as he slowly popped the box open to reveal a stunning, three-stone diamond ring. It was gorgeous and perfect and almost blinding. _

_"Caroline Forbes," He said in his husky British accent, "Will you marry me?" _

_I placed both hands over my mouth and slowly slid them over my cheeks as I began to shake my head up and down. _

_"Yes!" I exclaimed, "Of course I will marry you!" _

_The restaurant came alive once again, everyone at our table was cheering and clapping and I could hear Kol hollering like a madman and Rebekah squealing like a schoolgirl. Nik slid the ring onto my finger; it was the perfect size. He came to his feet and took me in his arms, showering me with 'I love you's before taking me in for a kiss._

_That night was one of the most unbelievable ones since we'd been together. We arrived at our hotel room, practically clawing at each others' clothes. His mouth moved so fast between my lips and my neck that my breathing sounded desperate and lacking as his hands ran rampant over the bends of my body. I slipped off his jacket and quickly rid myself of my clothes, watching him as he did the same. We laughed and giggled with every touch, until he had me moaning and scraping his back with my fingernails. He knew just the right way to touch me, to provoke me to the point of torture and that's what made our nights so deliciously unforgettable. He was talented with his hands and he knew perfectly well just how to please me and make me beg for more._

_His mouth trailed over my body and his tongue came out to play precisely when it needed to. I arched my back, feeling his lips getting closer to my belly button and then I clamped on to the sheets as his tongue made contact with my inner thighs. I couldn't keep myself from quieting down, it was too good to be enjoyed in silence. He brought his hands up to my chest, kneading at my soft skin with his fingers, touching those little points of pleasure on my breasts that made my core ache with want. His head came up from between my legs and he looked at me with those devilish eyes as I nodded. He went back down, his tongue moving around in an articulate dance that could only be described as explosive._

* * *

"That is the sweetest story!" The hairdresser exclaims, given I had omitted those last few details.

I smile wide, suddenly feeling so much more confident and at ease. "Yeah, he's an amazing man." And I feel my cheeks go light crimson.

I look at myself in the mirror, my hair falls to one side in large, thick waves and the hair piece on the opposite side balances it out perfectly. She spritzes a bit of hair spray over my locks carefully before setting it back down on the dresser.

"All done." She says proudly, looking at me through the mirror. "You're a beautiful bride. I'm sure he's going to be stunned when he sees you."

I thank her for the compliment and her astounding work and she begins clearing her things and packing everything in its respective cases. Rebekah comes back to the room just in time for me to change into my dress.

"Oh my god! You look beautiful! Your hair is perfect." She grins.

"Thank you Bekah." I come to my feet, a permanent smile on my face. "I feel so much better now. I'm nervous, but mainly just anxious. In a good way." I chuckle.

After a few minutes, the hairdresser leaves the room. Rebekah takes the plastic bag off the dress and unhooks it from the hanger. I slip off my robe and she helps me put it on without messing up my hair and makeup. It slides onto my body, hugging each curve to perfection even before she zips it up. I walk over to the full length mirror on the other side of the room. Rebekah brings my diamond necklace over and places it around my neck, handing me the matching earrings. My dress is long and flowy from the bodice down with ivory-colored flower accents along the waistline that make my breast perk up and my waist look tiny. The flowers continue onto the one strap over my left shoulder, which is also adorned with tiny rhinestones that sparkle like diamonds with any hint of light. The dress fans out over my feet and its many layers make it look fuller than it really is.

Rebekah places a hand over her mouth, "You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen, Care." Her voice is full of sentiment and sweetness as she fans her eyes with her hand as to keep herself from crying.

"Thank you." I reply, satisfied with the reflection staring back at me.

* * *

I can hear the music playing and as I peek through the side of the hotel wall, onto the beach, I can see everyone is already seated. Our wedding is small, only family and very close friends are present. Rebekah gives me one last hug and a nod before she waves her flower bouquet in a reassuring gesture and walks around the corner to make her way down the aisle and take her place.

The bright rays of sunshine touch my skin and its warmth is so welcoming and comforting that I enjoy soaking it all in. If I weren't in such a tropical place, I would have thought it was the middle of July and not December.

"You look amazing, Caroline." My father's voice comes up behind me and I turn to give him a smile as he squeezes me tightly.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think our relationship would be built up to a point where I'd be happy to have him by my side on the most important day of my life. But he was here now, and for that I was thankful.

"Thank you, daddy." I replied with a cheery smile.

The initial tune of the "Wedding March" catches my ear and I purse my lips nervously, knowing it is time. "That's our cue." He says, placing his arm up for me to hold on to it.

I smile, grabbing on to him as we round the corner and begin walking towards the beach. The walk begins to feel endless as soon as my feet touch the sand. My sandals sink in immediately and I'm grateful for not choosing to wear anything with heels. The aisle is comprised of stones and red and white rose petals. I smile at the people seated, they're all beaming at me with wide eyes and I suddenly feel like Cinderella walking into the Grand Ball.

My eyes look up ahead at the man waiting for me at the end and I feel my breathing hitch. Nik lightly bites down on his lip, not taking his eyes off of me for one second. He's dressed in a light taupe suite over a cream-colored shirt. His striped tan and coffee tie sits under his collar and a single white rose boutonniere clings on to his left pocket. His lips form a sweet smile, and his eyes gaze upon me adoringly as I get closer to him. The waves behind him seem to move slowly and calmly over the white sand and the palm trees sway smoothly in the breeze. I feel like I'm gliding, almost floating, with each step I take.

When I finally reach him, my father shakes his hand and gives me a kiss on the cheek before placing my hand on Nik's. The minister smiles at both of us as he addresses the guests. I only have eyes for my soon-to-be husband and he seems to to only have eyes for me. He leans in towards me as the minister is speaking.

"You're the most stunning woman I have ever seen." He whispers, causing a light hint of warmth to radiate over my cheeks.

We've been through a lot and endured so much, but I somehow always knew that I'd one day be with him like this. I smile at him and it's not until I hear his name that I snap out of my blissful state.

"Nik, you did write your own vows. Correct?" The minister asks and my head snaps up, suddenly the vows I had been practicing for months, escaping my thoughts.

Nik takes my hands in his, the corner of his lip forming a half-smile as his eyes burn into mine and he begins speaking the words I'd only been dreaming about until now. "I, Nik, promise you, Caroline, that I will be the most loving, loyal, and adoring husband. I promise to cherish you and protect you, and above all, give you my unconditional love and support. I'll be your days and nights when you need them filled, your spark of life in the darkness, and your hope when you're down and out."

I smile wide and take a deep breath before I begin, "I, Caroline, take you, Nik to be my husband, loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know. I eagerly anticipate the chance to grow together, getting to know the man you will become, and falling in love a little more each day. I promise to love and cherish you through whatever life may bring us."

Heat flows through my body and I know it's not just the sun beaming down on us that's making me feel this way. I feel my heart beating incessantly as I look into Nik's eyes. His always mysterious gaze is now perfectly clear and transparent to me and I feel like I can see into his innermost being.

"The rings..." The minister says in a low voice, as Elijah digs through his pockets to pull out the pieces of jewelry. We each take each other's and proceed with the ceremony.

Nik holds my right hand with his left and places the tip of my finger inside the band. His voice comes out, smoothly and lovingly, "Through this ring, I accept you as my wife, now and for all time." The band glides down in a perfect fit.

I take his in between my fingers with care and proceed. "I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are." I slide it onto him carefully and glance up once again, beaming.

The minister starts speaking again and Nik and I smile at each other gleefully. My breathing has now returned back to normal even though my heart still skips a beat every now and then.

"I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." It's those last words that make my chest flutter uncontrollable, causing me to go into another blissful stupor.

Nik holds on to my hands and we lean into each other, our lips touching as if for the first time. In the background I hear the sound of crashing waves, accompanied by clapping and cheering but it quickly becomes silenced by the sound of my beating heart against my ears. I smile against his lips, continuing to nip at them.

"Forever and always." He mutters and I repeat his words, sealing our promise with another tender kiss.

* * *

**For those of you wondering if I will continue writing K/C stories: YES! I love these two so much not to write anymore stuff. Please leave me one last review ;) Also, feel free to follow me on Tumblr (lostinmysticfalls). Until next time! xoxo**


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